Midnight under the Eiffel Tower
by MaylynBirch12
Summary: Much to Marinette's amazement and excitement, she and Adrien go to prom together for a wonderful night in Paris. However, Hawk Moth is still busy at work, and Ladybug and Cat Noir find themselves in more danger than ever before. Can they defeat him once again, using only their wits and true selves to aid them?
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome to my Ladybug fanfic! Any suggestions, comments, thoughts...go ahead and submit a review! Thanks for reading!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.**_

* * *

"Alya, are you crazy?" Marinette exclaimed, throwing herself on the bed. "What were you thinking?"

"Marinette, this'll be perfect!" Alya beamed. She turned and sat on Marinette's bed. "I've already set it all up. This prom is going to be awesome. Nino and I are already together. Now we just need Adrien to ask you!"

"Ugh," Marinette moaned, her heart sinking. "I-I can't! I'll just stand there like an idiot! I'll freeze up! I'll fall on my face! I'll-"

"Hey!" Alya interrupted, putting a finger across Marinette's lips. "No, you won't! That's what the old Marinette would've done. But you and Adrien have come leaps and bounds since then! I mean, you went to the movies this weekend together, just for fun!"

"Doubling with you and Nino!" Marinette protested.

"And don't forget when he helped you translate for your uncle," Alya continued.

"Alya-"

"Girl, and then you two practiced all that time for the Ultimate Mechastrike 3 competition!" Alya exclaimed. "And he still has your good luck charm?"

"That was just for school!" Marinette objected, burying deeper into her pillow. But her heart fluttered as Alya sighed. Adrien _had_ been so sweet to her recently. And she _had_ left her good luck charm with Adrien-not on purpose, but he hadn't given it back. She glanced up at the newest picture on her wall, one of Nino and Alya with Marinette and Adrien at the Jagged Stone concert. Marinette stared wistfully at Adrien's arm that was casually slung over Marinette's shoulder. Maybe Alya was right, maybe things _would_ be perfect.

"I talked to Nino this morning," Alya continued, "He's going to do some snooping and nudge Adrien into asking you!"

Marinette rolled over, thinking. "But what will I wear? I don't have anything fancy enough for prom!"

Alya grinned. "I knew you'd come around!" She grabbed Marinette's wrist and pulled her to her feet. "I know just the place to get inspiration!"

"Inspiration?" Marinette asked, confused. Alya laughed, gesturing to Marinette's sewing box in the corner.

"Girl, you _are_ going to design your own dress, right?"

Marinette's eyes widened, and she gasped.

"Oh Alya!" She laughed in excitement, already thinking of possibilities.

"Come on!" Alya pulled Marinette to the stairs. "We're going shopping!"

* * *

The bell rang loudly, signifying the beginning of lunch break, and Nino slung his arm around Adrien's shoulder as they walked out into the sun.

"So," Nino smiled innocently. "Were you going to take anyone to prom, bro?"

Adrien snapped back to the present, Nino's words pulling him out of a daydream. "Huh? Sorry Nino, what did you say?"

Nino laughed. "Dude, what were you thinking about? You were totally zoned out."

Adrien blushed, remembering Ladybug's dazzling smile. "Uh, nothing. What'd you say?"

Nino raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to ask anyone to prom? It's in just a couple weeks now."

"Oh!" Adrien blinked, his face falling. "I-I don't know, man. I'm not really into anyone in school right now."

"Fine," Nino shrugged. "It'll just be for fun then." He sat on their bench in the orchard, dropping his bag at his feet.

Adrien sat beside him, sighing. "It's not that simple, Nino."

Nino shoved Adrien playfully. "Come on, there's got to someone you can have fun with."

 _Fun._ _Fun is swinging high above the city with Ladybug,_ Adrien thought bitterly.

"Well, you think about it," Nino urged, glancing up. Ayla and Marinette were walking past, Marinette chattering excitedly with her sketchbook. "I need to go finalize plans with Alya for our date."

"Wait, you're going to prom with her?" Adrien asked, taken aback.  
Nino blushed, grinning. "Yup. Be right back!" He jumped to his feet and ran over to Alya. She smiled and turned to him. Adrien watched as Marinette rolled her eyes, brushing her dark hair behind her ears. Her small circle earrings caught the sun as she turned away from her friend.

Adrien frowned. _Circle earrings?_

"Where have I seen those before?" He muttered, his eyes still on Marinette. She walked over the stairs and sat on the lowest one, flipping open her sketchbook. He mulled it over, fingering his ring.

Suddenly, Marinette glanced up, as if she felt eyes on her. She met Adrien's eyes and a blush crept into her cheeks. Adrien grinned and waved.

Marinette's blush deepened as she waved back. Adrien's memory flashed back to meeting her at her house to practice for the Megastrike 3 tournament, her eyes twinkling as she showed him her good luck charm.

Adrien blinked. Marinette!

 _There's got to be someone,_ Nino's words echoed in his ear.

"Sorry about that, bro." Nino sat back next to Adrien, swinging his bag around into his lap.

"Hey Nino," Adrien said thoughtfully, his eyes still on Marinette. "Do you-do you know if Marinette's been asked yet?"

Nino winked. "Not yet."

Adrien smirked. "Well then. I'd better get on that."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Welcome back! I considered splitting this chapter, but I figured it would be better to keep them together. Also, the length of this chapter will probably be about what most of my chapters will be. I know it's kinda long, but there isn't really a better way to split them up...**_

 _ **For those of you who want to keep reading (and I hope that that's everyone!), I'll probably be updating every couple of days-a week at the most. I'm one of those writers who has it all up beforehand and just splits it into chapters later. :)**_

 _ **I also recognize that Season 2 of Ladybug is coming out soon, but I'm still going to finish this fanfic. Hopefully it'll be done before the episodes are released in English!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Marinette hummed happily as she cut fabric for her dress. She'd decided on a creamy white calf-length dress with a full skirt and red accents.

"You're going to be beautiful, Marinette!" Tikki chirped, zooming over Marinette's head.

"Thanks, Tikki!" Marinette beamed. "I just hope I can finish the dress in time. Being Ladybug tends to fill up my spare time." She held up the square of fabric and draped it around the dress form. "Will you hand me some of those pins?"

Tikki obliged, zipping over to the pincushion. "I'm sure you will! If anyone can, it's you!"

Marinette giggled. "Now you're just being nice."

Tikki dropped a handful of pins on the desk in front of Marinette. "So, did Alya say anything about Adrien today?"

"Not a peep," Marinette admitted, taking the pins and sticking them in her mouth. "I hope she's right about Nino."

"We'll find out soon, I'm sure." Tikki landed on the dress form, grinning.

Marinette smiled, pins in between her teeth. "Mm hm." She turned back to the dress form and started pinning the skirt up around the waist.

"Tikki, do you think bow in the back or in the front?" Marinette asked.

"I say front," The kwami said, hovering above the dress for a moment. "But either way."

"That's what I was thinking too." Marinette smiled.

The doorbell rang from downstairs and Marinette groaned.

"Why is it always when I have pins in my mouth?" She spit out the pins on the table and left the skirt hanging on the dress form.

"I'll come with you," Tikki offered, gliding closer to Marinette.

"Fine, but stay out of sight." Marinette held open her cardigan and Tikki zoomed inside.

Marinette yanked open the trap door and walked down the stairs.

"I got it, Mom!" She called as she raced down the last set of stairs.

"Little late for a social call, wouldn't you say?" She murmured, glancing at the clock on the wall. It read 9:45 PM.

Marinette yanked open the door and opened her mouth to speak.

"Hi, what can I do...for..." Marinette blinked. There was no one there.

"Huh." Marinette stuck her head out and glanced around. "Hello?"

The street was empty and dark, with no one in sight.

"Then what..." Marinette glanced down at the doorstep, and her heart skipped a beat.

There was a small statue of La Tour Eiffel with a note rolled up in the interior frame.

"Must've been a doorbell ditch." Marinette bent down and grabbed the tower, then swung the door closed and walked back up to her room.

"Okay Tikki, you can come out again." Marinette held open her cardigan and the kwami zoomed out.

"What is it?" She cried, zipping up to the small tower.

"The Eiffel Tower?" Marinette held up the metal frame curiously. "I wonder what this is about?"

"What about the note?" Tikki pushed her way up the frame, pulling out the rolled-up slip of paper inside the tower.

"Let's look!" Marinette set the small tower on her desk and unrolled the piece of paper.

"Marinette," She read aloud, "It would light up my night if you would go to prom with me." She felt her heart flutter and her stomach started to jump.

"Oh wow! You just got asked to Prom!" Tikki exclaimed, beaming. "That's wonderful!"

"Tikki!" Marinette cried excitedly, spinning around her room. "I'm going to prom!"

"That's great, Marinette!" Tikki cried, zooming excitedly around the room. Then she paused, looking back at Marinette. "Wait, with who? Is the note signed?"

Marinette looked back at the piece of paper. "No, that's all it says." She read back through the note again.

"Light up my night," she read, her eyes falling on the Eiffel Tower. She noticed a small plug snaking away from the frame. "I've got it! We need to plug in the statue!"

Marinette ran over to her desk and quickly plugged in the small Tour Eiffel. The lights flickered and came to life. The letters "Adrien" were spelled out across the bars.

"Tikki!" Marinette shrieked, her heart ready to burst. Her knees trembled, and she spun around the room once more.

"Adrien!" Tikki laughed. "Congratulations, Marinette!"

* * *

"Adrien! Time to go!" Natalie called up the stairs.

"Coming!" Adrien yelled back, gathering up his textbooks. "Just finishing my homework from last night!"

"You should've finished your homework before you snuck out to ask Marinette," Plagg said accusingly.

"Whatever, at least I got it done." Adrien shoved his Math book into his bag. "Come on, let's go."

Adrien held open his jacket and Plagg zipped in. Slipping his bag over his shoulder, Adrien ran down the stairs and raced out to the car.

"Adrien, we're going to be late!" Natalie scolded. "Next time finish your homework before you go to bed!"

"Yeah, sorry." Adrien beamed guiltily.

Natalie rolled her eyes as the car sped off.

Adrien stared out the window, his mind whirring. What if he saw Marinette? What would he say? Or worse, Chloe? Adrien shuddered as he imagined Chloe's reaction when she found out he was going to prom with Marinette.

"Here we are!" Natalie jumped out and pulled open Adrien's door. "Have a good day! We'll see you after school?"

"Thanks!" Adrien clambered out of the car and ran up the stairs. He raced to his classroom and was just reaching for the doorknob when someone crashed into him.

"Oof!" Marinette cried out. "Sorry! Should've watched where I was going."

"Marinette," Adrien breathed, his heart pounding as he turned around. "It's fine, no worries!"

Marinette gasped. "Adrien! I, um..." She quickly pulled something out of her bag. "This is for you!" She pushed a small wrapped parcel into his hands and yanked open the classroom door, disappearing inside.

Adrien blinked, then looked down at the parcel. He reached out to open it, then jumped as the late bell rang.

"Hang on, Marinette," He muttered, shoving the parcel into his pocket and pushing open the classroom door.

"Adrien!" The teacher welcomed him. "So good of you to join us!"

Adrien laughed guiltily. "Sorry I'm late."

"Just take a seat and we'll continue." The teacher turned back to the blackboard.

"Dude, what's up?" Nino whispered as Adrien slid into his seat.

"I'm just late, that's all," Adrien whispered back, pulling out his notebook and pen. "I didn't get all my homework done last night."

"How come?" Nino asked curiously. "We didn't really have _that_ much."

"I'll tell you later," Adrien hissed, squinting to try to read the board.

"Adrien! Nino!" The teacher glared at them, putting a finger to her lips.

Adrien scowled at Nino, then turned deliberately back to his notes.

Nino scribbled something on a piece of paper and shoved it over Adrien's notes, grinning slyly.

Adrien glanced down and started.

 _Did you ask Marinette last night?_

"Nino!" Adrien hissed, glaring at him. "Knock it off!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Nino chuckled.

"Last warning, you two!" The teacher called out.

Adrien shot Nino another glare and stared down at his notes. He heard Plagg chuckle from inside his jacket and tried to ignore it. Soon his eyes strayed down to his pocket where he'd stuffed the gift from Marinette. He reached down and felt around the edges, wondering what it could be. He was sure it was an answer to the dance, but what was it? Something to do with the Eiffel Tower? His mind wandered, and he found himself thinking of the Eiffel Tower and all the times he'd climbed its metal frame as Cat Noir, with Ladybug at his side. He imagined taking her there, without the costume, and sitting with her at the top.

Suddenly the lunch bell rang, and he jumped, startled out of his daydream.

"Come on, bro, let's go talk about last night." Nino grabbed his arm, yanking him out of the classroom.

"Hang on, I need to clean up my notes!" Adrien pulled out of Nino's grasp and shouldered his way through his classmates back to his desk.

"Adri-kins!" A shrill voice rang out, and Adrien groaned.

"H-hey Chloe." He forced a smile and turned around.

Chloe flicked her ponytail and smirked down at Adrien. "Hey there, Adrien. So, did you know I haven't been asked to prom yet?"

"Really?" Adrien swallowed nervously. "That's...surprising."

"And I was wondering if you'd asked anyone yet." Chloe batted her eyelashes and took a step closer toward Adrien, backing him into the desk.

"Yeah, well, I have actually," Adrien said, deliberately not meeting Chloe's eyes and grabbing his notebook and pencil.

"I knew you hadn't! So, what do you..." Chloe trailed off, frowning. "Wait, you have? But...but it wasn't me!"

Adrien laughed weakly. "Funny how that turns out, huh?" He hurriedly shoved his notebook and pencil into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "See you later!"

Chloe was shocked into silence while Adrien bolted for the door. It was only after he was safely in the hall that he heard Chloe's shriek of anger.

"Whew," Adrien breathed. "That wasn't so bad."

"Dude!" Nino beamed and slung his arm over Adrien's shoulder. "Nice! I haven't seen her that mad since...well, yesterday."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing," Adrien joked, laughing.

"So, you asked Marinette last night?" Nino prompted, leading Adrien toward the outdoors.

"Yup." Adrien grinned. "I snuck out and left something on her doorstep."

"Smooth!" Nino complimented him. "And her answer?"

"Oh!" Adrien pulled out the small package from his pocket. "She gave me this as I was coming in the door."

"Open it!" Nino urged.

Adrien complied and tore off the paper wrapping excitedly. He pulled out its contents and found...

"A flashlight?" Adrien said, turning the small light over in his hands.

"Turn it on," Nino suggested.

Adrien flicked the switch, but it was still too bright in the day to see the flashlight beam.

"I'll look at it later tonight," Adrien promised, pushing open the doors leading to the front orchard.

"Tell me what you find, all right?"

"Of course!" Adrien grinned, plopping himself down on their bench.

He glanced around the orchard and spotted Marinette leaning up against a pear tree, frowning slightly as she drew in her sketchbook.

"I wonder what she's drawing," Adrien murmured, suddenly curious.

"What?" Nino said absently, unwrapping his meatball sandwich.

"Hm? Nothing." Adrien slipped the flashlight back into his pocket and started opening his own lunch. "So, what are your plans for the dance? Marinette and I are good to join your group, right?"

Nino laughed, punching Adrien playfully in the shoulder. "Dude, of course! You'd better!" He leaned back and took a bite of his sandwich. "Ayla and I were thinking-"

Nino was cut off as a bus screeched and was barreling toward the orchard-right towards Marinette.

"Marinette!" Adrien yelled, jumping to his feet. "Look out!"

Marinette glanced up from her drawing just in time to see Adrien racing toward her. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, then widened as she heard the bus.

"No!" Adrien bolted toward Marinette. His foot caught on one of the pear trees and his ankle flared in pain. Yelping, he tripped and dived toward Marinette. He and Marinette rolled out of the way of the out-of-control bus.

The bus crashed into the tree that Marinette was leaning up against with a bang, and several people screamed from inside.

Adrien looked down at Marinette, his face inches from hers. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, her face bright red. "F-Fine."

Adrien smiled in relief and got to his feet. He winced as he put weight on his left foot, realizing he must've rolled his ankle on the tree. He reached out his hand to help Marinette to her feet.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Marinette smiled bravely, grasping his hand. Adrien winced again as he pulled Marinette up into a standing position, trying to stay off his left foot.

"Are you all right?" Marinette asked, glancing down at his feet. "Did you hurt your ankle or something?"

"Just a little. I tripped on all these pear trees." He laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll be fine."

"Let me help you back inside," Marinette offered, taking a step closer to Adrien.

The bus was beginning to smoke, but the doors were still jammed shut. All the passengers crowded by the doors, banging on the glass and screaming.

"Naw, I'll be fine," Adrien said quickly, rubbing his ring in anticipation. "Thank you, though."

Marinette nodded. "Good luck!"

Adrien limped inside, heading into an empty classroom.

He opened his jacket and Plagg flew out.

"Come on!" He urged, holding out his ring. "Maybe we can beat Ladybug this time!"

"Why is it always a competition?" Plagg sighed.

"Plagg, claws out!

* * *

 _ **Please, if you like it so far, go ahead and leave me a review! I'm excited about this story just as much as any other fan!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Ladybug rose to her feet after having ducked behind a tree to transform. She swung her yo-yo onto the trunk of a tree next to the bus and flew across the orchard.

"So, let's see..." Ladybug narrowed her eyes, scanning for damage. The trunk of pear tree that the bus had hit was cracked and bent, with unripe pears scattered across the grass. The front of the bus, on the other hand, was only dented enough to keep the doors from reopening, yet smoke was pouring out of the hood.

"Looks like the tree got the worst of it." Ladybug climbed up the side of the bus and opened the emergency exit on the roof.

"How did you get here so fast?" Cat Noir landed on the roof next to her. "The accident only happened seconds ago...as I understand."

"Just happened to be in the neighborhood." Ladybug winked. "Come on, I need your help. Some of these people might be injured. And we don't know why the bus crashed."

"At your service, my lady." Cat Noir bowed with a flourish of his hand.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and dropped down into the bus.

"Hello? Is everyone all right?" She called, walking up to the front.

"Ladybug!" The passengers cried. Ladybug saw some bruises and scrapes, and one person who was passed out near the front, but there wasn't too much damage.

"All right, everyone out! Cat Noir will help you out through the top." Ladybug pointed to her partner on the roof. He winked and waved, extending his stick down through the hole.

"Now to find out what happened." Ladybug strode to the front of the bus and turned to the driver. He was hunched over the wheel, apparently unconscious.

"Sir, are you all right?" Ladybug put her hand on his shoulder, shaking him slightly. He moaned and turned to her, his eyes unfocused and bleary.

"Sir?" Ladybug shook him again.

"Huh? Did we crash or somethin'?" The bus driver blinked owlishly, glancing around.

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. "Yes, into a pear tree."

"Huh. Imagine that." The bus driver chortled, clapping his hands on his knees. "Me, crashing!"

Ladybug leaned in closer to the bus driver, then recoiled, wrinkling her nose.

"Ugh! Alcohol." She glared at the man. "You're drunk!"

The intoxicated driver only laughed harder.

"Driving under the influence is against the law, and you do it with dozens of people?" Ladybug shook her head in disgust, her temper flaring. "I think we're going to have to take you downtown."

The bus driver didn't seem to hear. He was still giggling, passing his hands slowly in front of his eyes.

Ladybug felt a hand on her shoulder.

"That's everyone," Cat Noir announced. "We're just about done here!"

"Not quite." Ladybug scowled at the bus driver. "We need to drop him off at the police station."

Cat Noir frowned. "Why, what'd he do?"

"He's drunk!" Ladybug exclaimed, pointing at the man. He was hunched over the wheel once more, but he was snoring.

"Ew." Cat Noir retreated a step. His face brightened. "Or we could just call the cops, let them deal with it!"

Ladybug thought about it, glancing out the window toward the center of Paris. "Ummm..."

There was a sudden shriek, followed by a loud crash.

"You're right," Ladybug decided hastily. "We have other problems. Will you call them? I'll go see what's going on?"

"Why do I have to talk to them?" Cat Noir whined, collapsing into an empty seat. "Police don't like me."

"That's because you dress in all black. Like a criminal." Ladybug's eyes twinkled as she raced up the aisle toward the hole in the roof.

"Hey!" Cat Noir protested, but Ladybug was already outside. She scanned the city around them and spotted a group of her fellow high school students crowded around the bus. Their eyes were wide and worried, and they were whispering to each other and pointing up at the bus.

"Hello!" Ladybug waved, grinning. "No need to worry, Cat Noir and I are on the case!"

Alya shook her head, pointing to something behind Ladybug. "Ladybug-behind you!"

Ladybug turned around, confused-and just managed to dodge a large vine.

"My orchard! My trees!" A voice cried. "The world will soon see the value of botany!"

Ladybug landed down on the ground in front of the high schoolers and looked up above the bus.

A woman stood above it, standing on a thick, green vine. She wore a leafy green dress laced up with grass, and her hair was a muddy shade of brown. Her skin was brown and had lines running up and down it, like bark. Her eyes were a bright purple and made Ladybug think of pansies. A pitchfork was clutched in her right hand.

"Who are you?" Ladybug demanded, unslinging her yo-yo and swinging it threateningly by her side. "What do you want?"

The plant-woman smirked. "I am Poison Ivy. And this is what happens to those to those who hurt the plant life!"

She thrust her pitchfork down at the bus, and a bolt of energy surged through its tines. A huge tree trunk burst out of the grass in the orchard underneath the bus, lifting the automobile off the ground. Then the trunk expanded like a spring and launched the bus over the school.

"Cat Noir!" Ladybug gasped, watching the bus fly over her high school.

"And you!" Poison Ivy levelled her pitchfork at Ladybug. "You have something I need."

"Gee, I wonder what..." Ladybug flicked her yo-yo up towards the akumatized botanist, aiming for her pitchfork, but the villain simply swayed to one side.

Ivy snorted derisively. "So, this is Ladybug without her pet cat? My my..."

"Come on Cat, please be okay," Ladybug murmured, ducking to avoid a flying tomato. She wrapped her yo-yo up around a lamp post, trying to get above Poison Ivy, but a leafy branch suddenly sprouted out of one side of the pole, and Ladybug crashed right into it. Her head spinning, she began to fall back down to earth. Quickly, she pulled her yo-yo back in and used it to hook onto the roof of a nearby building, letting it pull her up.

"Let's try something else." Ladybug flung out her yo-yo, intending to wrap Poison Ivy in it, but the super villain's pitchfork sparked with power and Ivy was suddenly surrounded by a grove of aspen trees. Ladybug felt a flash of annoyance as her yo-yo only wrapped around trees.

"Ugh! Why can't I do anything?"

A vine shot out from the grove of quaking aspens and wrapped around Ladybug's ankle.

"No!" Ladybug cried, hastily locking her yo-yo around a chimney as the vine pulled her off her feet. She clutched the magical wire, barely staying put as the vine jerked and pulled her toward the trees.

The vine snapped as Cat Noir's claws sliced through it. He landed lightly on his feet, then stumbled slightly as his left ankle buckled.

"Cat Noir! Thank goodness! Are you okay?"

"Fine." Cat Noir gritted his teeth as the black cloud faded away from his right hand. "I got out of the bus with the driver before it hit the pavement. Mr. Stinky Alcohol is chained up to a lamppost outside the school. Police are on their way." He smirked as he straightened. "I see you're handling well without me."

"If you weren't hurt from the bus, what happened to your ankle?"

Cat Noir shrugged. "I rolled it earlier today. No biggie." He winced again as he shifted his stance.

"Cat Noir, you should go sit down!" Ladybug rushed over to him, slipping under his arm and walking him over to the edge of the roof.

"No way!" He slipped away from her, limping back toward the trees. "I'm not just going to sit here! I'm going to help!"

"You stay here!" Ladybug ordered, grabbing his tail. "I'll get the akuma and throw it back up to you. Then you break it and we're home free."

"But-" Cat Noir protested.

"The pitchfork must be hiding the akuma," Ladybug mused, spinning Cat Noir's tail as she pondered the situation. "If I can halt the current passing through it-" She broke off as Cat Noir's ring beeped warningly.

"Hey! I won't just sit here while you stop Poison Ivy!" Cat Noir yanked his tail back out her hand and extended his staff, preparing to leap off the building.

"No!" Ladybug grabbed his hand. "You're about to change back! Go regain your energy and wait for my signal." She squeezed his hand. "I don't want you getting any more injured than you already are! Stay, kitty!" Ladybug jumped off the side of the building, wrapping her yo-yo around the closest aspen and swinging closer to Poison Ivy.

"Hmph!" Cat Noir scowled, folding his arms. He crouched and sat on the edge of the building, swinging his legs. He tapped his ring and transformed back into Adrien. "All right Plagg, eat up."

* * *

 _ **I'm going back and reading this again just to make sure it's all fitting with the end (that I'm writing right now)...and I apologize, my writing isn't as good as it is later. Bear with me, it gets way better!**_

 _ **Hope you like it so far! Please leave a review if you do! :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**I decided to post these two together, partly because of length and partly because I'm a reader who HATES cliffhangers, so I'll only do that when necessary.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Ladybug landed just outside the grove and ran into it, pushing her way through the tightly planted aspen trees.

"Back for more, Ladybug?" The villainess cackled, raising her pitchfork. She stood in the center of her aspen grove, a huge pear tree towering over her. "Hand over your miraculous, and I'll spare you and your friend!"

"That tree sure grew quickly," Ladybug muttered, looking up the huge trunk of the pear tree. Then she raised her voice. "Not today, Poison Ivy!"

Poison Ivy smirked. "That's what you think."

"Enough with this! It's time to do some weeding!" Ladybug threw her yo-yo into the air. "Lucky charm!"

Ladybug's yo-yo glowed, and a package of grass seeds fell into her hands.

Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Hay?" She scanned the objects around her, looking for the way to use her seeds. Poison Ivy obviously would be a tool, as would her pitchfork. The pears on the tree behind her also could help. Ladybug looked down at her seeds and smiled, the plan coming to her.

"Hey, Poison Ivy!" Ladybug reeled back and threw the bag of seeds at the botanist. Poison Ivy frowned in mild annoyance and shot the seed package with a bolt of energy from her pitchfork. A huge pile of hay suddenly fell to the ground in front of Poison Ivy. Ladybug, however, was already moving. She wrapped her yo-yo around the lowest branch of the pear tree and swung up into its branches before Poison Ivy could react. She grabbed two pears and turned to face her enemy.

"Don't you dare hurt my trees!" Poison Ivy huffed, hefting her pitchfork.

"Batter up!" Ladybug began throwing the pears at her enemy, grinning. Poison Ivy snarled and hit each pear as it came, covering her pitchfork in sticky pear juice.

"That should be enough!" Ladybug jumped out of the tree into the pile of hay. "Whee!"

"Stop this, Ladybug!" The botanist commanded. "Give me your miraculous!"

"Make me!" Ladybug ducked into the hay pile, laughing. Poison Ivy thrust her pitchfork into the pile of hay, trying to find Ladybug-while her pitchfork continued to get covered with bits of hay.

Ladybug burst out of the haystack and charged at Poison Ivy. "Game's up, Poison Ivy! Hand over your pitchfork!"

"Never!" Poison Ivy lifted her pitchfork, pointing it right at Ladybug. Ladybug ignored it and kept running. The super villain glared and thrust her pitchfork forward. Nothing happened.

"Yes!" Ladybug shot out her yo-yo, wrapping it around the pitchfork and yanked it away from Poison Ivy.

"Cat Noir!" She cried, turning and throwing the pitchfork like a javelin toward her partner.

"Got it!" Cat Noir yelled, dropping his staff as he prepared to catch the pitchfork. Jumping up, he caught the pitchfork with both hands and held the wooden handle in a forty-five-degree angle from the ground. Then he jumped on the shaft, snapping it in two. The akuma flew out of the broken tines of the pitchfork in a cloud of black mist.

"No!" Poison Ivy wailed, her powers dissolving. Cat Noir stumbled as he attempted to balance himself. Without thinking, he put all his weight on his left foot. He felt a shaft of pain in his ankle and he cried out, his ankle buckling. Quickly, he took another step with his right to steady himself, but his foot came down on the broken handle of the pitchfork. His feet rolled out from under him and he tumbled off the side of the roof, his staff still waiting on the ledge.

"Ladybug!" He yelled, free-falling through the air. "Help!"

He squeezed his eyes shut, not wishing to see the ground as he hit it...and then felt a jerk on his belt as Ladybug grabbed his tail.

"Hang on, Cat Noir!" Ladybug smiled down at her friend. "I've got you!  
She swung back up onto the building and set Cat Noir safely back on his feet.

"Phew. Thank you." He took a deep breath and stepped towards Ladybug. His ankle buckled again, and he yelped, tripping forward. Ladybug caught him, gasping.

"Cat Noir! You need to get off your feet!"

"No no, I'm fine!" He looked up into Ladybug's eyes, beaming. "Just fine."

Ladybug grimaced, but helped Cat Noir back to his feet. "Promise me you'll ice that tonight?"

Cat Noir winked. "Aww, you really do care!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Just promise me, okay?"

"Just for you." Cat Noir put his hand on her shoulder.

Suddenly, Ladybug's earrings beeped, and she jumped.

"Uh oh! I got to go!" She unslung her yo-yo and quickly bounded off the roof. "Bug out!"

Cat Noir waved, then bent to pick up his stick.

"That was too close," he muttered, glaring at his twisted ankle. "You just had to buckle, didn't you?"

He limped to the other side of the building, then extended his stick down and slid down it like a fireman's pole, heading home.

Neither superhero noticed the akuma fluttering high above the city, still imbued with dark energy.

* * *

 _ **Read and review, my friends! I'd love to hear your thoughts or predictions about where I'm taking it. ;) No promises I'll give anything away, though!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hi friends! Sorry about the wait this week.**_

 ** _To answer a question, yes, I am using Cat Noir purposely, as opposed to Chat. The version that I watch has Cat, so I that's what I use in my writing. :)_** _ **But! If you do spot a typo, PLEASE let me know and I'll fix it! I really appreciate feedback!**_

 _ **One more disclaimer: I personally have no idea how students in France and Paris do high school dances and prom (or if they even do it all), so I'm basing the prom and the day date and everything off my own personal experiences in high school. It's more romantic and funner for me to write that way. ;)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

"I'm fine, Natalie." Adrien rolled his eyes as Natalie fussed over his twisted ankle. "It's probably just a sprain. It'll be fine."

"I knew something like this would happen! We never should've put you in school!" Natalie paced back and forth in front of Adrien's bed.

"Whoa, this didn't happen at school! I mean, I guess it did, but not really!" Adrien ran his fingers through his hair. "Seriously, I'm fine!"

"Maybe we should go to the doctor," Natalie worried, "Get a brace. Maybe crutches."

"No!" Adrien felt flash of panic, imagining what Ladybug would say when he showed up to save the world in crutches. He scrambled to his feet. "Look! I'm fine! I can stand, walk, and everything!" He walked across the room without limping, biting his lip to keep from wincing.

Natalie pursed her lips, eyeing his swollen ankle. "All right...but we will wrap it and ice it tonight. No arguments."

"Fine." Adrien sat back on his bed with relief, his ankle throbbing from walking normally.

"And you're staying in bed tonight," Natalie added. "Your father's orders. No parties or movies. Your photoshoot at the Eiffel Tower was postponed to..." Natalie paused, glancing down at the tablet in her hand. "...Tuesday. And your fencing class will have to do without you."

"Fine," Adrien sighed. Then his eyes widened as he realized what Natalie was saying. "Wait, you told my father about my ankle?"

Natalie nodded silently.

Adrien folded his arms, scowling at the ground.

"I had to, Adrien. He is your father."

"There goes my freedom," Adrien muttered.

Natalie hesitated, looking as if she was going to say something, but then her mouth clamped shut and she clasped her hands in front of her.

"I'm going to go get you some ice and a wrap for your ankle. I'll be right back."

Adrien nodded dully, and Natalie withdrew.

Adrien exhaled and threw himself on his bed.

"Why me?" He demanded, staring up at the ceiling. "Why couldn't someone else have rolled their ankle saving Marinette?"

Plagg slipped out of his jacket and floated in front of him.

"Oh please," The kwami snorted. "Grow up a little, Adrien. Bad things happen to everyone."

"But not everyone is a superhero," Adrien argued, sitting up. "I have a responsibility to Paris!"

Plagg raised an eyebrow. "Well, that makes it different, I guess."

Adrien groaned again, falling back against his pillow.

Plagg rolled his eyes then zoomed up to hover in front of Adrien's face. "Let me ask you this. Would you rather that Marinette be hit by that bus?"

"Well...no, of course not." Adrien pushed himself up onto his elbows, feeling a flash of guilt.

Plagg tilted his small head. "So? What's your point? You saved her and rolled your ankle in the process. They happened together." He puffed out his small black chest proudly. "I've always said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

"Plagg, that was Isaac Newton."

Plagg scoffed. "Whatever. Everything has a consequence, even heroism." He broke off, sniffing around the room. "Do you have any food? I need some Camembert."

Adrien laughed, rising to his feet and reaching into his pocket. "Fine, but then I need to ice my ankle. Ladybug's orders."

"Food first," Plagg agreed.

Adrien frowned, feeling nothing in his pocket. "I must've used the last one earlier." He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a flashlight.

Plagg laughed. "You just carry around a flashlight?"

"No, genius." Adrien felt a thrill of excitement. "This is from Marinette! Her answer to the dance!"

Plagg snickered. "Bet she said no."

Adrien glared at his kwami. "Bet she said yes." He limped over to the door to his room and closed it. "Will you close the curtains? It needs to be dark."

Plagg obliged, yanking closed the tall curtains over the glass windows. The light diminished, and Adrien sank back down on his bed.

"Let's see..." He murmured, turning over the flashlight in his hands. "Where is the-"

Plagg zoomed over and pushed forward on the switch.

"...switch," Adrien breathed, glancing up as a beam of light shone across the room.

'YES' twinkled on his opposite wall. Somehow the words sparkled, and the 'y' had bars and lines across it, appearing to be an upside-down Eiffel Tower.

Adrien laughed in excitement. "I told you! I knew she'd say yes!"

Plagg zipped closer to the shadow on the wall. "Wait, how did she do that? Those weren't there before!"

"She put the letters over the lens of the flashlight, so it shines through the light, making that shadow." Adrien grinned. "Creative, huh?"

"She's an artist?"

"Yeah, remember that derby hat I wore for a photoshoot a while ago? She designed it." Adrien pulled up a picture on his phone and showed it to his kwami.

Plagg shrugged, unimpressed.

"Oh, I need to send a picture to Nino." Adrien pulled his legs up onto his bed and crossed them, creating a support for the flashlight. He set the flashlight on his feet and turned on the camera. He quickly snapped a picture of the shadow and sent it to his best friend.

"Great. Now can I get something to eat?" Plagg whined.

Adrien ignored him, grinning as he stared up at the sparkling "YES" on his wall.

"I'm going to prom!" He whooped, jumping up on his bed and thrusting his fist in the air.

Suddenly Adrien's door creaked open, and Mr. Agreste stood in the doorway. His eyes widened, and he stared up at his son in disbelief.

Adrien flushed, beaming guiltily.

"Hey, dad."

* * *

 _ **Leave a review if you like what you read! I'm just about done with it all, so it'll come up faster! Thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hello again, friends!**_ _ **Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites so far! I'm glad you enjoy it as much as I do! ;)**_

 _ **A little heads-up: Since I speak French myself and am familiar with Paris, I'm going to refer to some of the landmarks around Paris and things by their French names and not really explain it...so if it throws you off, shoot me a PM or a review and I'll explain it you. :) But I'm not taking time out of the story because Adrien and Marinette obviously know Paris, so they won't need to figure it out.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy the intro to the day date!**_

* * *

"...so then my dad slams the door and stalks off," Adrien explained, laughing.

Marinette giggled. "Your dad sounds like quite the talkative fellow."

Adrien rolled his eyes, reaching out to grab another croissant. "Hardly. I feel like the only thing he ever says to me is no." He stared down at the flaky roll in his hand, resisting the urge to crush it.

Marinette put her hand on his shoulder. "Adrien, I'm sure your father means well and that he does care for you." She tilted her head, a twinkle in her eye. "At least your parents aren't completely into in everything you do. My mom has invested almost as much work into my prom dress as I have."

Adrien chuckled. "With all the food they offer me? I like your parents. They're cool." He frowned as something Marinette said hit him. "Wait, you made your own dress?"

Marinette flushed, yanking her hand back and ducking her head. "Uhh, did I say made? I didn't say that, did I?"

Adrien grinned. "No way? That's awesome! I can't wait to see it! I'm sure it'll be amazing!"

Marinette smiled shyly. "That's the plan, at least. I hope it turned out all right."

"It's going to be awesome," Adrien promised, putting his hand over hers on an impulse.

Marinette's eye widened and she looked up at Adrien with her blue eyes big. Adrien studied her for a moment.

"Has anyone told you that you and Ladybug have the same blue eyes?" He said softly.

Marinette's jaw dropped open and she pulled her hand away. "Uh..."

The door to the boulangerie burst open and Alya and Nino ran in.  
"Sorry we're late! We had to make a quick side trip." Grinning, Alya pulled four smoothies out of her bag.

"Yes!" Adrien and Marinette chorused, jumping to their feet. Ayla laughed and handed them each one of the tall glasses.

"Straight from the best juice bar in Paris! Breakfast for prom!"

"Alya, you're the best!" Marinette exclaimed, beaming. She took a sip from her smoothie.

"It was Nino's idea," Alya nodded her head toward the boy next to her. Nino puffed out his chest, beaming.

"I knew it was a good idea to double with you guys," Adrien announced, winking at Marinette.

Alya and Nino shared a fist bump, then sat down at the table. Marinette and Adrien took the two chairs they'd occupied earlier.

"All right, dudes," Nino said, pulling his smoothie closer to his mouth. "Here's the plan." He pulled out two pads of plain white paper and two black ballpoint pens. "We're making our own scavenger hunts. You guys go hide five sets of clues around the heart of Paris. Public transportation only."

"No chauffeurs," Alya added to Adrien, her eyes twinkling. Adrien groaned.

"Anyway, dudes," Nino continued, dropping the paper and pens on the table. "The clues have to be in plain sight. Nothing can be inside a building or a trash can or anything like that. Out in the open."

"So no clues on the Mona Lisa inside the Louvre?" Adrien frowned, disappointed. "That's no fun!"

"Keep a list of where you hide your clues," Alya advised. "Just in case we can't figure it out."

"Wait, we're solving each other's mysteries?" Marinette interrupted, jerking forward in her seat. "You didn't say that!"

Nino frowned, thinking back. "Oh. I didn't? I meant to."

"That changes my plans," Marinette muttered. She began to mentally revise her list of potential clues. Adrien grinned.

"Already making plans, partner?" He held up his hand for a high five. Marinette smiled, slapping his palm. "We're totally going to win."

"Wait! There's more!" Nino took a sip of his smoothie before continuing. "We have until noon. The last clue had better lead to some treasure-something totally cooler than just a normal clue. Then we meet back here for lunch and then give each other the first clue." He grinned. "It's going to be totally awesome!"

"Wait, so we're just running around Paris? By ourselves?" Marinette's eyes widened with anxiety.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Adrien rubbed his ring, promising himself that he'd transform if things got messy. "Anything else?"

"That's pretty much it." Alya stood, clutching her smoothie and thrusting her open hand into the center of their circle. "Are you guys in?"

"I'm in!" Nino jumped up and put his hand on Ayla's.

"This should be fun!" Adrien stood and put his hand over Nino's. He turned and beamed at Marinette. "You coming, partner?"

Marinette sighed, rising to her feet. "Sure. What could go wrong?"

"Great!" Alya smirked. "And time starts...now!" Laughing, she and Nino grabbed their smoothies and ran for the door.

"Oh!" Nino turned, rushing back over. He picked up a notepad and a pen. "I might need these!"

"Come on, Nino!" Ayla called, holding open the door.

Grinning, Nino saluted his competitors. "Good luck, dudes! See you this afternoon!"

Alya waved and then the two of them left the shop, the door slamming shut behind them.

Adrien took a deep breath, reaching out to take the paper and pen. Simultaneously, Marinette sighed and stretched her arm out toward the same paper and pen. Their hands touched, and they both drew back, blushing.

"You go ahead!" Adrien smiled awkwardly. "You're the artist here."

"But you know the big things in Paris better than me!" Marinette blurted. "You should write the clues."

Adrien laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "How about we switch off? You do the first, and then I'll do the next."

"Work together!" Tikki whispered from Marinette's bag, as Plagg hissed, "How about you work on _all_ of them together?"

Both Adrien and Marinette jumped, their eyes frantic. Adrien grabbed the sides of his jacket and yanked it closed. Marinette swung her purse behind her back, holding it there.

"H-How about we work on them together?" Adrien suggested faintly.

Marinette nodded hastily. "I think that's a good idea."

Adrien grinned, his anxiety diffusing. "All right, well, I think you should be the scribe. Your handwriting is way better than mine.

Marinette giggled, pulling the small pad of paper closer to her. "All right, as long as you keep us from getting lost."

"Deal." Adrien winked and held out a hand. Marinette took it, trying not to blush, and the two shook on their new plan.

"Great! Where to first?" Adrien let go of Marinette's hand and pulled out his phone, ready to input coordinates.

"Ummm..." Marinette tapped the pen on her chin, thinking. "Let's try for a pattern in the clues, and the last one completes the pattern."

"Like a circle?" Adrien asked, his brow furrowing as he scrolled through a map of Paris.

Marinette tilted her head. "Well, Paris is just a big circle. Maybe something a little less obvious."

"Most of the main things are all in the center in a line, though," Adrien realized, zooming in on the Ile de la Cite. "Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, the Louvre, Les Champs Elysees..."

"Not all of them," Marinette pointed out, sketching a quick map of the landmarks of Paris. "There's the Centre Pompidou, Luxembourg gardens, the Eiffel Tower..." She trailed off, looking at her sketch. Adrien looked up from his phone.

"What? What do you see?" He leaned closer to her, staring down at the notepad.

Marinette grinned. "I've got it!" She traced a line between all her landmarks, the tip of her tongue protruding out the corner of her mouth. Adrien frowned thoughtfully as he followed Marinette's pen. Marinette stopped at the Arc de Triomphe and held out the pen to Adrien, grinning.

"Care to finish off the number?"

Adrien shot Marinette a bewildered look, then stared back at the paper. He studied it for a moment, then his eyes lit up and he laughed in amazement.

"Marinette, you're a genius!" He grabbed the pen and traced the final line over to the Eiffel Tower. "It's a one!"

Marinette beamed. "Yeah, that's it!"

Adrien tucked the pen in his pocket and grabbed Marinette's hand.

"Come on, let's get going!" He jumped to his feet and yanked Marinette toward the door. She clutched the notebook closer to her chest and laughed.

"Are you ready to win, partner?" Adrien asked, squeezing Marinette's hand as he shouldered open the door to the cafe.

"You bet!" Marinette's eyes twinkled as she gazed out over Paris. _A whole day with_ _Adrien_...Marinette thought to herself blissfully. _What_ _could be better?_

* * *

 ** _Thanks for reading! Keep those reviews coming, it keeps me going. ;) Stay tuned for the next chapter, it'll be up soon!_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Welcome back, friends!**_

 _ **This section was super fun to visualize, and one of my favorites to go back and read again. It was also cool to write a sequence with just Cat Noir and no 'supervillain'...anyway! I'll stop spoiling. ;) Hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

Marinette squinted as she stared up at the Notre Dame cathedral. "Okay, where should we hide this one? Just by the front doors?"

"I was thinking by the Rose Window," Adrien suggested, pointing to the large circular window along the side of the old cathedral. His hand jerked up to pull his jacket closer around him, but Marinette didn't notice. He quickly began striding around toward the other set of doors.

"Good thinking," Marinette said, following him around the side of Notre Dame.

"How about you wait here?" Adrien suggested, glancing over his shoulder. "Look for the next bus off the Isle."

"O-Okay," Marinette agreed, confused. "Are you sure? This is busy place. We might, I dunno, get separated..." She trailed off.

"We'll be fine," Adrien assured her. "I'm just, uh, trying to save time." Adrien smiled. "I'll be right back!" He waved and disappeared around the corner of the old building.

Tikki popped open Marinette's small purse. "How're things going, Marinette?"

"Great!" Marinette grinned. "I still can't believe I'm on a date with Adrien!"

Tikki giggled. "I told you he liked you!"

Marinette laughed. "Would you be offended if I said I never believed you until now?"

Tikki winked. "Not a bit."

"Excuse me!" A small voice said politely. Marinette jumped and turned around, snapping her purse closed. A young child stood before her, his hands outstretched.

"Aw, you poor thing," Marinette murmured sympathetically, bending down to put her hand on his shoulder. "Let me-"

Suddenly, she felt the strap of her purse fall from around her shoulder. She started, jerking around. A scraggly old man stood behind her, the strap of her purse clutched in his dirty palm.

"Hey! That's mine!" Marinette snapped angrily, a wave of fear washing over her.

The old man smirked a toothless grin and bolted off into the crowd.  
"Stop! Thief!" Marinette yelled, chasing after him.

"Oh Tikki," she whispered, pushing through a school tour group. "I'll get you back!"

* * *

Adrien pulled the slip of paper out of his pocket as he disappeared around the corner of Notre Dame.

"All right, Plagg, you can come out now," Adrien said, holding open his jacket.

"Yes! Finally!" Plagg took a deep breath, zooming around Adrien's head. "I can breathe again!"

"Only for a second," Adrien warned, slipping the clue in a crack adjacent to the doors. "I can't leave Marinette alone for too long. She's right about Notre Dame."

"Fine." Plagg sniffed. "Just as long as you give me some cheese."

Marinette's voice rang out over the crowds. "Hey! That's mine!"

"Uh oh." Adrien swung around. "I knew I shouldn't have left her alone!"

"Stop! Thief!" Marinette yelled.

"Come on, Plagg! We've got to help!" Adrien pushed his ring further down his finger and slipped behind a pear tree near the doors. He blinked, his hand on the trunk. "Were there always this many pear trees around Notre Dame?"

"Adrien..." Plagg zoomed into Adrien's shoulder, catching him off balance. "You were going to transform?"

"Oh! Plagg, claws out!"

There was a flash of light and Cat Noir leapt out of the bushes. He pushed his way into the crowd, looking for Marinette's gray jacket.

"This is all my fault," Cat Noir murmured, scanning the crowd anxiously.

An old man suddenly pushed into him and knocked him off his feet.

"Hey!" Cat Noir yelped, rolling to regain his footing. "Watch where you're going!"

The old man pulled his newsboy cap down over his eyes, ignoring the black superhero, and pushed on toward Sainte Chapelle.

"Stop him!" A familiar voice cried, and Cat Noir saw Marinette go racing past.

"Wait!" Cat Noir scrambled to his feet, grabbing Marinette's wrist. "Let me help you!"

Marinette rounded on him, her eyes flashing angrily. Then they widened, and her jaw dropped. "Cat Noir!"

Cat Noir winked and bowed, releasing her hand. "Cat got your tongue?"

Marinette rolled her eyes, then pointed toward Sainte Chapelle, where the thief had disappeared. "Cat Noir, I can't lose that bag! It has...it has the most valuable thing I own..." Marinette's voice quavered, and her gaze dropped down to her feet. "Will you help me?"

"I'm always down for helping damsels in distress." Cat Noir grinned, leaning in closer to Marinette. On an impulse, he cupped his hand on her chin lifted her gaze to his. "Don't worry, Marinette. I'll get your purse back."

Marinette blinked, staring into his bright green eyes. "You-your eyes. They remind me of someone..."

Cat Noir staggered back, a shaft of anxiety entering his chest. "Heh, well, I-I better get going. I'll meet you over by Sainte Chapelle, okay?" He extended his stick, preparing to vault up onto the roof of Notre Dame.

"Oh no, Adrien must be worried sick," Marinette groaned, glancing back at the tall Rose Window. "I'd better go and tell him what's happened."

"Uh oh," Cat Noir muttered, flying up onto the roof. "I'd better make a side trip first." He raced along the roof of the cathedral, dropping into the bushes by the Rose Window.

"Adrien!" He heard Marinette's voice call out. "Adrien, are you there?"

Cat Noir tapped his ring, transforming back into Adrien.

"Marinette?" He called, pushing out of the bushes. "Are you okay?"

"Adrien!" Marinette gasped, tripping on the sidewalk and falling into Adrien.

"Whoa there," He laughed, catching her and lifting her to her feet. "What happened?"  
"I've been robbed," Marinette panted. "Someone stole my purse."

"Oh no!" Adrien gasped, acting surprised and letting his hands drop to his sides.

"But Cat Noir is getting it back," Marinette added. "He said to meet him in front of Sainte Chapelle."

"You go ahead," Adrien urged, an idea coming to him. "I'll call the police and get some back-up."

"But-" Marinette protested, reaching out to him.

"Go! There's no time!" Adrien backed toward Notre Dame. "You've got to help Cat Noir get it back! I'll get the police here!" He swung around and darted into the cathedral.

He waited until Marinette's footsteps receded and quickly transformed back into Cat Noir. He burst out the front door and bounded up onto a lamp post.

"Come on, you can't be too far," He murmured, scanning the street for Marinette. He spotted her and dropped down in front of her.

"Turns out I could use your help," He admitted, holding out a hand. Marinette jumped at his sudden appearance. "Care to tag along?"

Marinette didn't answer and grabbed his hand.

"Okay then." Cat Noir slipped his arm around her waist and clicked open his staff. They shot upward, and Marinette cried out, tightening her grip around Cat Noir's neck.

"Don't worry, this cat won't bite." Cat Noir squeezed her gently. Marinette grimaced and held on tighter.

"Now then, where's your thief?" Cat Noir narrowed his eyes, scanning the streets in between the two cathedrals. "He can't have gotten too far."

"There!" Marinette pointed out a figure running along Pont Neuf. He had a dark newsboy cap and his hands were clutching something in front of him.

"Perfect." Cat Noir turned and grinned at Marinette. "Hold on!" He pushed off his stick and leapt into the air. Quickly, he retracted his staff and re-extended it in front of them, vaulting toward the bridge.

"Ugh, I've always hated this," Marinette muttered, burying her face in Cat Noir's shoulder.

"Always?" Cat Noir said, planting his staff on the roof of the state police building. He then retracted his staff and hopped softly onto the shingles, slipping away from Marinette. Cat Noir grabbed Marinette's hand and they raced across the roof. "I think I would've remembered meeting you more than just the couple times."

"Oh!" Marinette gulped, stumbling on the shingles. Cat Noir caught her and hauled to back to her feet. "I, uh, used to pole vault in school. For sports!"

"It's fun, huh?" Cat Noir winked as he extended his staff and wrapped his arm around Marinette once more.

"Exhilarating," Marinette agreed, wincing as they flew up once again.

"All right, coming in hot," Cat Noir warned as they neared the bridge. Marinette shifted her arms and nodded.

Cat Noir leapt into the air and landed lightly on a lamppost.

"You have a thing for lamp posts, don't you?" Marinette commented as Cat Noir clicked his staff down to reach the ground.

"What can I say? We cats love to be above the world." Cat Noir held out his long staff. "Care to dismount?"

She obliged, grabbing the staff and wrapping her legs around it. She slid down to the ground with a sigh of relief. Cat Noir then retracted his staff and bounded off the lamp post, rolling to break his fall.

"Be back in a flash!" He winked and raced up to the bridge. The convict was running toward him, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips as he stared down at Marinette's purse.

"Wait!" Marinette cried, running after him. "He's not alone!"

Cat Noir glared at the thief, clicking open his staff. "You know, they say that a black cat is bad luck."

The thief jerked to a stop, staring at Cat Noir.

"In your case, I'd say that's no exception." Cat Noir quickly clicked open his staff and shot it toward the old man. It caught him in the gut and he staggered back, wheezing.

"Cat Noir, behind you!" Marinette cried, running toward the fight.

Cat Noir's ears twitched and he suddenly ducked. A switchblade flashed above his head, clattering to the ground several feet in front of him.

"Careful now, someone could get hurt." Cat Noir spun around, lashing out his with claws.

The little boy cried out, backing away. Cat Noir withheld his strike, blinking in surprise at the small child.

"He's getting away!" Marinette yelled, running after the ragged old man.

Cat Noir spun back, dashing after Marinette.

"No sweat!" He said, his staff lifting him over her head. "I got this! You take care of that kid!"

Marinette turned and raced back to the knife-throwing child.

"It's okay," she called out gently. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Cat Noir scampered up another lamp post and leapt into the air, the criminal locked in his sights. He turned a quick flip and landed right behind the escaping convict.

"And I'll take that..." Cat Noir extended his staff out and caught the strap of Marinette's small pink purse with the tip.

The criminal stopped as he felt the purse slip away from him. "Hey!"

"Sorry, I don't think this belongs to you." Cat Noir retracted his staff and grabbed the bag. Then he swung his stick, knocking the man into the Seine.

"Serves you right," Cat Noir muttered.

"Cat Noir!" Marinette ran closer, her eyes shining. "Thank you!"

"Not a problem," Cat Noir winked, handing the bag back to its owner. "What's in there that's so valuable, anyway?"

Marinette started. "Uh, nothing. Just, you know, my wallet and stuff."

Cat Noir raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. "Well, I got to go keep saving the world! Have a great night at prom!" He winked and saluted, then bounded off on his stick.

"I wonder what she does keep in there," he murmured, glancing behind his shoulder at Marinette. She had something cupped in her hands and wore an expression of relief.

Cat Noir turned around and yelped, narrowly avoiding a power line.

"I'd better watch where I'm going..." He muttered, heading back over to Notre Dame.

He dropped down into the orchard by the Rose Window and quickly transformed back into Adrien. Plagg flashed into existence and perched on Adrien's shoulder.

"Wasn't there only one pear tree the first time?" Plagg narrowed his small green eyes.

"Not now, Plagg," Adrien slipped his phone out of his pocket and pulled up Marinette's number. "I've got to make sure Marinette is okay."

"Be careful," Plagg warned. "Don't give anything away."

"I got this." Adrien dialed her number and started running toward the Pont Neuf. "Marinette! Are you okay?"

"Just fine!" Marinette laughed over the phone. "Cat Noir got my bag back! I'm just headed back over to Sainte Chapelle! Want to meet there?"

"Sure! Is everything all right then?" Adrien glanced down at his watch. It was almost 11:30.

"Everything is just great." Marinette replied. "Cat Noir really saved the day this time. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Be careful!" Adrien said, anxiously. "Don't lose that bag again!"

Marinette laughed. "I'll be fine! Bye!"

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts so far, this has been a blast for me to write and make it all come together. :)**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hi friends! Double post tonight, I hope that doesn't offend anyone. ;)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Marinette sat down on a bench in front of Sainte Chapelle and sighed happily.

"Phew. That could have been messy."

"Thanks for saving me, Marinette!" Tikki chirped, nuzzling Marinette's cheek.

"I couldn't just let them take you!" Marinette wrapped her hands around her kwami. "I know you're my kwami, but you're so much more than that!"

Tikki beamed. "So, what now? How many clues do you still have left?"

"Just two." Marinette slipped the notepad out of her pocket. "One at the Centre Pompidou and one over at the Luxembourg Gardens."

"And then you guys switch, right?"

"Yep!" Marinette leaned back, crossing her legs. "This has certainly been fun! I can't wait for the dance tonight!"

"Adrien's going to love your dress," Tikki winked.

Marinette ducked her head, giggling. "I sure hope so. I spent an awful lot of time on it!"

"It's beautiful," Tikki promised, zooming around Marinette's head. "And so are you!"

"Now you're making me blush," Marinette laughed.

"Marinette!" Adrien yelled, running closer.

"Hide, Tikki!" Marinette hissed, popping open her purse and then snapping it shut after Tikki was safely inside.

"I'm so sorry I left you alone!" Adrien blurted as he came closer. "If I had been there with you, none on this would've happened." He hugged Marinette tightly.

Marinette felt her face color as Adrien's arms wrapped around her. "Uh, no, it's fine! Really, I got it back and we're all good!" She tentatively hugged him back.

"I'm not leaving your side again," Adrien promised as he pulled away. "We'll stick together."

Marinette turned a deeper shade of red and her heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, okay."

Adrien smiled and slipped his arm around Marinette, leading her away from the antique chapel. "So, Centre Pompidou next?"

Marinette contained a shriek of excitement at the feeling of Adrien's arm tight around her. "Yeah, sounds good!"

Adrien found a tour bus that went off the small island and he and Marinette clambered on board.  
"So where do we want to hide the one at the Centre Pompidou?" Adrien asked, sitting down in a seat near the back.

"Maybe on that big covered stairway?" Marinette said, picturing the modern art museum in her mind.

Adrien nodded and leaned back in his seat. "So, Marinette, remember when we were practicing for the Ultimate Mechastrike Three tournament a while ago?"

Marinette's stomach fluttered, and she thought of the lucky charm she'd given him that day. "Yeah?"

Adrien laced his fingers across his chest. "How did you get so good?" He chuckled regretfully. "I still remember when you and Max ended up winning that tournament."

"Oh, I play with my dad all the time." Marinette smiled, thinking of her barrel-chested father.

Adrien smiled sadly, turning to gaze out the window. "I wish I could play video games with my dad."

Marinette tentatively reached out, putting her hand on Adrien's arm. "I'm sorry, Adrien, I wasn't trying to-"

"No, you're fine," Adrien cut across her, turning back to look at her. He sighed. "I just...I don't know...wish I had a normal life. With two parents that loved me. Low-key, you know?" He glanced down at his lap.

Marinette nodded knowingly. "And just a normal day of school...with a reliable schedule..."

Adrien laughed. "I know exactly what you mean."

Marinette smiled, and Tikki shoved her through the bag warningly. Marinette pursed her lips and shifted her position, pulling her arm back from Adrien's. She built up her courage  
"Adrien, can I ask you something? It's been on my mind for a while, ever since I made that derby hat for you."

Adrien looked up curiously. "Sure, Marinette."

"You model a lot, don't you?"

Adrien shrugged. "I guess. It doesn't help that my father is a leading fashion designer."

Marinette nodded eagerly. "Exactly. How does the fashion world work? How did your father get started?"

Adrien took a deep breath, pondering the question. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I just go where they tell me." His lips twitched into a weak smile. "It's pretty boring, honestly."

Marinette nodded, urging him to continue.

Adrien leaned forward, thinking. "Fashion can be brutal. If it's not good enough, they'll just drop it and find something else." He pursed his lips before continuing. "But it can be beautiful and amazing too. Some things just click, you know?

Marinette nodded, her eyes glassing over as she thought of her sketchbook.

Adrien studied her. "You know, Marinette? You really have a lot of talent. If anyone can be successful in the fashion world, it's you. That derby hat was cool. And when you designed the album cover for Jagged Stone?" Adrien shook his head in amazement. "That was so awesome! Anyone would be lucky to have your designs."

Marinette beamed, her face flushing slightly. "Thanks, Adrien. I really love it, and I really _really_ put my heart into it." She rubbed her arm anxiously. "I hope that'll be enough."

"See, and that's the difference." Adrien shifted in his seat, turning to face Marinette. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Marinette, a lot of people in fashion just throw something together and hope that people like it. But I think that true artistry doesn't look for approval; it just..." He hesitated, looking for the correct word.

"Blooms," Marinette said softly, looking up at Adrien, awe in her eyes. "It sweeps you away and you just follow it, trusting and knowing that the art will create itself if you let it."

"Exactly!" Adrien beamed. "And it only does through that extra work and heart you mentioned earlier." He squeezed her shoulders. "Marinette, you have that gift. I sure hope to be in some of your designs someday."

Marinette blushed madly, a shy smile on her lips. "Adrien, I-I don't know what to say. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"You deserve it." Adrien's grin widened. _How lucky am I to be with Marinette today?_ The thought struck him. _All the girls in Paris...and I chose her._

"Good choice, I'd say," Plagg mumbled in his ear.

"Plagg!" Adrien hissed.

"What?" Marinette asked, leaning forward.

"Oh, I just said "hah!" Adrien stammered, pointing out the window. "We're here!"

The pipe exterior of the Centre Pompidou rolled into view, and Marinette rose to her feet.

"Come on, we've got to hurry!" She held out her hand to Adrien. "Are you coming?"

Adrien jumped to his feet, grabbing her hand. He couldn't help but feel a thrill at her touch.

"After you, partner."

* * *

 _ **Writing normal conversations between Adrien and Marinette has been my favorite part of this fic. Maybe I'll do a sequel with less action and more dialogue? Leave a review if you'd be interested in said sequel! And/or if you like this one so far!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Sorry this one's so short...it was either that or super long one, so I opted for the short and then the longer one.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Adrien and Marinette burst into the bakery, panting.

"How much...time do we have?" Marinette asked, completely out of breath.

"Negative thirty seconds," Adrien groaned, bending over to rest his hands on his knees.

"Welcome back!" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng called from behind the counter. "How'd the clue-hiding go?"

"Great, mom," Marinette smiled weakly, walking over to the counter. "Can you grab us some water?"

"Sure, hon." Marinette's mother took two cups from beneath the counter and pulled the glass pitcher of ice water closer to her daughter. Marinette grabbed the cups and quickly filled them with water.

"Are Nino and Alya back yet?" Adrien asked, taking a cup from Marinette.

"Not yet." Mrs. Dupain-Cheng answered, rearranging a tray of croissants behind the counter.

"Sweet!" Adrien and Marinette shared a high five. "We make quite the team, huh, little lady?"

Marinette felt a thrill at his words, as if she'd heard them many times before. "W-What? What'd you say?"

Adrien flushed, realizing he might've seemed too flirtatious. "Uh, just that we make a good team when it comes to solving mysteries!"

Marinette stared at him blankly, trying to understand why she had reacted the way she had. "Right..."

The door to the bakery swung open and Nino and Alya ran in.

"Hah!" Adrien smirked. "I told you we were going to win, Marinette!"

"No way, dudes." Nino straightened his headphones and put his hands on his hips, grinning. "We just hid clues that are so hard, you won't even know where to start!"

"Yeah right," Marinette scoffed, leaning up against the counter. "You two are going to be the ones begging for help!"

"We'll see!" Alya said slyly, holding up a white envelope. "Here's your first clue!" She walked over to the counter were Adrien and Marinette were standing and held it out to them.

Marinette and Adrien both reached for the envelope, then froze as they realized the other's hand was already extended.

"You take it!" Adrien offered, pulling his hands back and stuffing them in his pockets.

"No no," Marinette protested, gesturing that he take the envelope. "I-I carried the clues first! Now it's your turn!"

Adrien hesitated, glancing at the envelope. "But-"  
"Go on!" Marinette put her hands behind her back. "You have bigger pockets than me anyway."

"Pockets?" Alya repeated, laughing. "Girl, that's your final argument?"

Marinette blushed. "It's true, though!"

"Can't argue with that." Adrien winked, taking the envelope from Ayla. "Then you'd better give Ayla our first clue!"

"O-okay, I can do that." Marinette's cheeks were still burning from Ayla's teasing. She pulled another white envelope from the pocket of her gray blazer and handed it to Alya.

"How're things going with your lover boy?" Alya whispered, leaning closer to her best friend as she took the envelope.

Marinette giggled. "Just great. Really great."

"Good." Alya cleared her throat and straightened. "Well, how do you guys feel about some lunch before we set off again?"

"You know, I was wondering if you were going to remember." Marinette's eyes twinkled, and she nodded to Adrien.

"We decided to grab something while we were out," Adrien said smugly, folding his arms. "So, we're all set!"

Alya's eyes widened, and Nino's jaw dropped. Laughing, Adrien offered his arm to Marinette. She felt a thrill in her chest and slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Shall we?" Adrien nodded his head toward the crowded streets of Paris.

"I don't see why not!" Marinette said, smirking at Alya and Nino.

Adrien and Marinette strolled across the boulangerie, grinning, and Adrien pushed open the door for Marinette.

"So where to, Marinette?" He asked as his date left the bakery.

"You have the clue, Adrien," Marinette reminded him, nudging his arm.

"Oh! Right!" Adrien pulled the envelope from his deep pocket. He lifted the flap and pulled out the small slip of paper inside.

"What does it say?" Marinette stood on her tiptoes, peering over Adrien's shoulder.

Adrien frowned thoughtfully. "'Look for where the bones of Parisians lie, far below number 14, just beneath the second Stone. PS: Watch your Head'".

Marinette chuckled. "And Alya said these would be hard? That's easy!"

"Well, we know it's in the Catacombs," Adrien admitted, "but where? Those are enormous and stretch all under Paris!"

Marinette pursed her lips, thinking. "Not all the Catacombs have bones, so that eliminates some, right?"

"Number 14!" Adrien smiled triumphantly, pointing at the word on the clue. "That's got to mean the fourteenth arrondissement!"

"We'd better get going then!" Marinette grinned, starting toward the subway. Adrien followed, still trying to figure out the rest of the clue.

" _Head_ and _stone_ are both capitalized," he mused as Marinette procured tickets. "Do you think that's significant?"

"Maybe it means a headstone," Marinette suggested. "There's not nearly as many down there."

"You're right, that's got to be it!" Adrien grinned, nudging Marinette gently. "You're pretty clever, Marinette!"

Marinette laughed shyly. "Oh, no I'm-I'm not! I just...put things together quickly!"

"That's what clever means." Adrien winked. "I'm sure glad you're here with me today. I'd be completely lost without you."

Marinette blushed, pushing her bangs out of her face. "I'm glad to be with you too."

* * *

 _ **Just to clarify something, Paris is divided into districts or neighborhoods (sort of) called arrondissements. So Adrien is talking about an area of Paris when he says that. Comprenez? ;)**_

 ** _We're getting closer! Leave a review if you're still reading! :)_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Fun fact, this might just be my favorite part of this fic...it really flowed well, and I had a good laugh writing it. :) Shout-out to my mother and sister for their insight and help with this section! Hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

Here it is!" Adrien called out, raising the small piece of paper high above his head and waving it.

"Finally!" Marinette giggled, swinging her legs down off the branch she was sitting on. "That one took long enough!"

"Who knew that the Musee d'Orsay had so many pear trees?" Adrien shook his head in amazement.

Marinette started to clamber back down the tree, but her foot slipped on the bark and she gasped.

"Uh oh!" She reached for the next branch in a panic but felt herself slipping. The thick piece of bark that she placed her foot on suddenly broke off, and Marinette found herself hanging on to a single branch, her feet dangling.

"Careful!" Adrien was suddenly beneath her, holding out his arms to catch her.

The branch snapped, and Marinette cried out as she felt herself falling through the air. Adrien took a step closer, trying to catch her, but her weight offset his stance and the two of them tumbled to the ground.

"Oof!" Adrien grunted as Marinette's body crashed into his.

"Oh Adrien, I'm sorry!" Marinette quickly rolled to her feet and held a hand out to her date.

Adrien burst out laughing. "Don't apologize, Marinette! I was the one who didn't catch you!" He leaned up and grasped Marinette's outstretched hand, still chuckling.

Marinette smiled uneasily as she pulled Adrien to his feet. "If I wasn't so clumsy-"

"You're not that clumsy, Marinette!" Adrien shook his head firmly, letting go of Marinette's hand.

"But I am!" Marinette protested, stamping her foot in frustration. "I'm always tripping and crashing into things..."

"So?" Adrien shrugged. "I can't draw to save my life. Everyone has their different strengths and weaknesses." He took a step closer to Marinette and fished a leaf out of her hair.

 _He just touched my hair!_ Marinette shrieked internally. Her heart started to pound.

"T-thanks," she stammered, gazing up into his bright green eyes.

"My pleasure," Adrien said brightly, grabbing another leaf off her collar.

Marinette's earrings caught the sunlight as he leaned closer, and he felt another flash of recognition.

"Marinette, where did you get your earrings?" Adrien asked curiously, crumpling the leaf and dropping it on the ground.

Marinette felt a flash of panic. "Uh, they were a gift! From...from a friend!"

Adrien nodded thoughtfully, opening his mouth to speak.

"What does the next clue say?" Marinette cut across him, pointing to the piece of paper sticking out of Adrien's pocket.

"Oh, right." Adrien reached into his pocket and drew out the clue. "'Remains from the fair, though no longer yellow. Come to the top, my signal awaits.'" He read aloud.

Marinette's eyes narrowed, and she started to pace. "That's pretty obscure. Which fair? Is there a fair going on right now?"

Adrien shrugged, thinking. "There was that career fair we had at school..." He trailed off, then his eyes lit up. "The career fair!" He snapped his fingers excitedly. "We-we built those ten-year plans! And the highlighters! They were yellow!" He turned back to Marinette, beaming.

Marinette looked at him steadily.

Adrien deflated, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, you're right. That's...not it."

Marinette shook her head and started pacing again. "Fairs...there's all those trade fairs, I guess." She glanced at Adrien. "Right?"

Adrien gestured for her to continue, leaning up against a pear tree. "You-you go ahead. I had my say."

Marinette sighed and went back to pacing. "So, what other fairs are in Paris?" She broke off, thinking of the clue. "Or what fairs _were_ in Paris?"

Adrien raised his hand. "Um, why past tense?"

"Because the clue said 'remains'," Marinette said, "So it already happened."

Adrien nodded, then raised his hand again.

"Adrien!" Marinette rolled her eyes, stopping again. "What?"

"What about the World Fair?" Adrien's eyes widened. "The Eiffel Tower!"

Marinette scoffed. "No, that's too cliché. And besides, what's yellow about the Eiffel Tower?"

"No, really!" Adrien pushed off from the tree, standing upright. "They repaint the tower every seven years! It was yellow once, red before that."

Marinette blinked. "How did you know that?"

Adrien grinned. "Hey, I'm not modeling _all_ the time. I know my fair share of trivia."

"Trivia, huh?" Marinette giggled. "Nice!"

"But the Eiffel Tower is huge," Adrien pointed out. "Where would the treasure be?"

Marinette's eyes twinkled as she pointed back at the clue. "At the top, by the antenna! 'My signal awaits?"

"Oh! Right." Adrien grinned again.

Marinette laughed. She suddenly had a flash of Deja vu- _had she been here before?_ Frowning, she glanced around, trying to place her feeling.

"Something wrong, little lady?" Adrien asked, taking a step closer to her.

Marinette's eyes widened, the realization hitting her. _It was just like her and Cat Noir!_ The solving mysteries, their attitudes...she glanced down, expecting to see her black and red yo-yo in her hand.

"Marinette?" Adrien put a hand on her arm, concerned.

"N-nothing." Marinette took a deep breath. "Just had Deja vu." She shivered, shaking off the feeling.

"So...do you want to go grab some crepes?" Adrien grinned, gesturing to a small creperie on the corner.

Marinette punched him teasingly. "What about the treasure, silly?"

Adrien laughed and wrapped his hand around Marinette's, breaking into a run.

"Come on! If we hurry, we can catch the ferry up the Seine!"

Marinette's stomach fluttered. _A ferry ride with Adrien! And he was still holding her hand!_

Soon, Marinette and Adrien were leaning up against the rail of a blue and white ferry, gazing out over the Seine. The sun sparkled on the waves as the small boat cut through the river. A family of ducks swam past the boat, the ducklings quacking anxiously as they tried to keep up with their mother. Trees lined the river bank, many glittering with ripe pears.

Adrien frowned as he counted the number of pear trees. "Is it just me, or are there a lot more pear trees around than normal?"

Marinette shrugged. "We did see a ton in the Luxembourg Gardens, but there are pears there anyway. Is that what you mean?"

Adrien shook his head, brushing it off. "No, but that's okay. Never mind, I'm sure it's just me."

A gentle breeze tugged at Marinette's blazer, making her pull it closer around her as she shivered.

"Are you cold?" Adrien asked gently, scooting closer to Marinette.

"Yes! No!" Marinette blurted. "Maybe?"

Adrien chuckled. He slipped off his white button up jacket and draped it carefully around Marinette. "It isn't much," he apologized, his hands smoothing the jacket over her arms.

"No no, it's so warm," Marinette gushed, turning her head to meet Adrien's gaze. Adrien's cheeks turned pink as he stared at Marinette. Her bluebell eyes reflected the river beneath them, and they seemed to sparkle. The breeze ruffled her blue-black hair, and Adrien was suddenly struck by how beautiful she looked.

Adrien's gaze was so intense, Marinette caught her breath. His green eyes were like emeralds as they pored into hers. His cologne seemed to overwhelm her senses, and she resisted the urge to snuggle closer to him. She forced herself to look away, and her eyes fell on Adrien's hand that was resting on the railing in front of them. His silver ring caught the sunlight, and Marinette blinked as it shone in her eyes.

"Oh. Sorry," Adrien said hastily, shifting his hand so it was out of the direct sunlight.

"You're fine," Marinette managed, still slightly breathless.

They stood in silence at the railing of the ferry, gazing out over the silvery waves. Marinette was still reeling, and she was glad that Adrien stood right behind her still to catch her if her knees started trembling. Adrien was racking his brain, trying to come up with something to say.

"Adrien, have you ever played the question game?" Marinette said suddenly.

"The question game?" Adrien repeated, coming back to the railing next to Marinette instead of behind her. "No."

"It's something I play with my parents sometimes." Marinette smiled, turning to look at him. "You take turns asking each other questions-about anything."

"Sounds fun." Adrien smiled sadly. "I wish I could play that game with my dad."

"Do you want to try it?" Marinette offered.

"Sure." Adrien nudged Marinette gently. "You first."

Marinette hesitated, thinking. "What's your favorite thing about Paris?"

"Honestly?" Adrien pursed his lips, pondering the question. "Paris at night. If you get above the first layer of rooftops and look down on it at night, it's beautiful."

Marinette's cheeks colored. _I was thinking the same thing,_ she thought. "I know what you mean! The first time my parents took me up to the Eiffel Tower, we went all the way up and gazed out over Paris. It was amazing."

"The Eiffel Tower is beautiful at night," Adrien agreed, thinking about the times he and Ladybug had perched at the top of La Tour Eiffel after the sun had gone down.

Marinette shifted her arms, crossing her wrists over the railing. "Okay, now it's your turn."

"Ooh, I've got a good one." Adrien grinned. "What's your favorite song by Jagged Stone?"

"That's hard!" Marinette stuck out bottom lip, her thoughts swirling. "I really like Powerplay, I guess."

"My favorite is The Bandit."

"Oh, that one's good too..." Marinette laughed. "I don't know! They're all amazing..."

Adrien nodded, smiling. "Your turn again!"

"What's your favorite color?" Marinette rested her chin on her hand.

"Blue," Adrien said instantly, thinking of Ladybug's blue eyes. "You?"

Marinette giggled. "I thought it was pretty obvious! Light pink."

Adrien laughed, turning so his back was to the railing and he was facing Marinette. "Yeah, you're right, I should've known that one..." He folded his arms. "So, this question is pretty deep, so don't feel like you have to answer if you don't want to..."

"Okay..." Marinette's stomach clenched.

"What do think is your biggest weakness?" Adrien was watching her carefully, gauging her reaction.

Marinette felt a thrill in her chest as she considered the question. "I worry about everything, you know? What if I fail? What if I'm not good enough? What if I let people down?" She gazed down at the water, suddenly feeling the pressure of being a superhero.

"Marinette," Adrien started, leaning in closer to her. Then he hesitated, not sure how to voice his thoughts. "A-A friend of mine once told me that if you always worry about messing something up, you might miss the chance to do something great." He felt Plagg jerk inside his jacket as Adrien mentioned him. Adrien put his hand on Marinette's shoulder. "You've done some pretty amazing things, you know..."

 _You have no idea,_ Marinette thought silently.

"...and you continue to amaze me with your talents." Adrien smiled gently. "I think it's pretty safe to say that Marinette will always come out on top."

Adrien's mind flashed back to when Ladybug had turned to him with similar doubts.

 _I guess it's a girl thing,_ he thought, shrugging mentally.

Marinette blushed at his praise, still staring down at the water. "T-Thank you. That means a lot."

"Good." Adrien winked, leaning back up against the railing.

The boat lurched suddenly, and Marinette saw a dark shape glide through the water beneath them.

"What was that?" Adrien said sharply, his eyes going toward the engine.

"I-I don't know," Marinette lied. She crossed her arms across her stomach and put on a grimace. "But I-I'm getting seasick. I'll be inside." She held out his jacket. "You can have this back."

"You sure?" Adrien took the jacket, watching Marinette carefully. "Yeah, you're sure. Be careful, okay?

Marinette smiled happily. _Adrien was worried about her!_ "Okay."

Adrien turned back toward the river as Marinette bolted for cover.

"That wasn't just a fish out there!" Marinette whispered to Tikki as she popped open her bag. "We've got to go check it out!"

"But what about Adrien?" Tikki asked, pointing towards the bow of the small ferry.

"It'll only take a second!" Marinette promised. "Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

 ** _See? :) Good stuff, huh? Leave a review if you agree!_**

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Welcome back! First of all, thanks for all the positive reviews! :) It warms my heart. And yes, that was definitely a typo, thanks for catching that! Hopefully I'll get this all up within the next couple days...so thanks for following and hanging with me! It's been just a joy to watch this come together-and to receive such a supportive following! You guys are awesome. :)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Adrien scanned the boat anxiously, trying to see what had caused the tremor.

Plagg stuck his head out of Adrien's pocket. "What's wrong? You're really tense."

"That shudder that the boat made?" Adrien shook his head darkly. "I don't like it. Something's wrong; I just don't know what."

"Relax, I'm sure it's nothing." Plagg yawned and burrowed back into Adrien's jacket.

The ferry continued to chug along through the Seine river, with Adrien pacing nervously on the deck.

Suddenly, Adrien heard a splash, followed by a high-pitched scream.

"I told you!" Adrien said, running to the railing, searching for the girl who'd screamed.

There was a bridge up ahead, and Adrien's eyes locked on a small movement at the top. Ladybug suddenly leapt up onto the bridge, the string of her yo-yo snaking down to the water. She yanked up on the string, trying to pull something up.

"Ladybug!" Adrien gasped, staring up at the superhero. He glanced around to make sure that no one was watching, then darted behind the cabin of the boat.

"Plagg, claws out!"

Plagg zipped into Adrien's ring, and he transformed into Cat Noir.

"Now let's go help Ladybug!" Cat Noir raced to the edge of the boat that was just passing under the bridge. He launched himself into the air and landed neatly on asphalt of the sloping bridge.

Ladybug had just managed to pull her prey out of the water-an enormous crocodile.

"Come on," she grunted, bracing her heels against the asphalt. The crocodile snarled, and it snapped threateningly at Ladybug.

Cat Noir threw his staff at the reptile's mouth. "Keep your jaws to yourself!"

The staff forced the crocodile's mouth open as Ladybug exhaled in relief.

"Thanks, Cat Noir!"

"My pleasure, m'lady!" Cat Noir winked and ran closer to his partner. "Where did you find this big guy?"

"He was in the Seine, threatening a ferry." Ladybug winced as the crocodile yanked on her line. "I already called the zoo, they're on their way to pick him up."

Cat Noir nodded. _So that's what made the ferry shake!_ "So we just have to keep him out of trouble?" He jumped as the crocodile snapped his staff out of its mouth. "Easier said than done..."

"Tell me about it." Ladybug grunted, rearranging her grip on the wire of her yo-yo. "I can't keep him still, he keeps yanking me off balance."

"Maybe we can just tie him up somewhere and tell them where he is?" Cat Noir said, gesturing to the trees that lined the river. "On one of these pear trees?"

"But then he could escape and start terrorizing the rest of...Paris!" Ladybug gasped as the croc yanked her line out of her grasp.

"Whoa there, Simon!" Cat Noir bounded in front of the huge reptile and raised his staff threateningly.

"Simon?" Ladybug repeated incredulously.

"He needed a name!" Cat Noir said as the croc snarled and swung its tail at Cat Noir. Cat Noir ducked and swung his staff at Simon, smacking his scaly snout.

"Cat Noir, watch out!" Ladybug cried, diving into her partner and pushing him to the ground. The gator's jaws snapped just above their heads and he pushed past them, with Ladybug's yo-yo still wrapped tight around his tail.

"No no no!" Ladybug scrambled to her feet as the crocodile tromped toward the streets of Paris. "Stop! I need that!"

"As beautiful as your voice is, m'lady," Cat Noir groaned, rolling over. "I don't think he can understand you."

"Come on Cat, we have to stop him!" Ladybug clenched her fists and started to run after the crocodile.

Cat Noir glanced back at the small blue and ferry that had just passed under the bridge. It was only a couple blocks from the Eiffel Tower.

"This had better be quick," he grumbled, rising to his feet and brushing the dirt of his knees. "Ladybug, wait!" He called, pushing off his staff and landing next to her. "I have an idea! If we can just herd him to the zoo while keeping him from attacking people, we won't have to try to fight it!"

Ladybug nodded impatiently. "Fine, but I need my yo-yo back!"

"Don't worry, I'll get it for you, m'lady." Cat Noir winked. He bounded up onto a lamp post and dove right at the scaly reptile. He landed on its back and clenched his knees around its middle as he grabbed the red and black yo-yo that belonged to his friend. The wire zipped back into the yo-yo as Simon roared in anger.

"Sorry, ride's over!" Cat Noir jumped off the reptile and rolled to regain his footing.

"Cat Noir, what were you thinking?" Ladybug demanded, running over to him and helping him to his feet. "Did it occur to you that that thing could have whipped around and eaten you in one gulp?"

Cat Noir winked and struck a pose. "Please, this cat's got nine lives, remember?"

Ladybug sighed, putting her hand over her eyes. "Come on, we have work to do."

The two of them split up on either side of the road, carefully herding the giant crocodile toward the zoo. Every now and then, Ladybug would flick her yo-yo at an intersection and block the traffic trying to come through, and Cat Noir was constantly telling the people he ran past to go hide until the beast had gone through. But Cat Noir found himself wishing it would go faster. He kept thinking of Marinette waiting on the ferry as she tried to quench her nausea, and he was anxious to get back to her.

Ladybug was getting impatient. She didn't realize how far the zoo was from the river, and she couldn't get Adrien's bright green eyes out of her head. She was sure that he was missing her by now, wondering if she was okay.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the big metal bars of the zoo gate appeared on the horizon and both superheroes sighed with relief.

"Have you got this?" Cat Noir yelled across the street. "I have to go check on something else!"

"Go ahead, I have it covered!" Ladybug gave her partner a thumbs-up.

"Cool. See you later, m'lady!" Cat Noir winked and saluted, launching himself up on the rooftops.

"I'm coming, Marinette," he murmured, jumping over a small chimney as he raced toward the ferry.

* * *

 ** _Thanks for reading! Stay tuned; leave a review with your thoughts if you feel so inclined! :)_**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Here comes La Tour Eiffel! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Marinette made a show of wiping her hand over her mouth as she walked back onto the deck.

Adrien was still standing at the rail, the wind ruffling his blonde hair. He glanced behind him as he heard Marinette's footsteps approaching.

"Feel any better?" He asked, stepping closer to her.

Marinette nodded, smiling at his concern. "Yeah, I'm fine now."

"Good." He smiled in relief, pointing over to the Eiffel Tower that loomed above them. "Because we're here."

Marinette felt a thrill of excitement as she gazed up at the reddish-brown radio tower. "What do think the treasure is?"

"I hope it's better than what we left them." Adrien grinned, watching the boat's small crew replace the gangplank, creating a safe walkway off the ferry.

Marinette giggled, thinking of the matching bracelets and lollipops they left on the pedestal of the miniature Statue of Liberty. "Yeah, I'm sure Alya's going to kill me for that later."

There was a gentle thud as the boat reached the harbor. Adrien took Marinette's hand and they clambered off the small blue and white ferry, heading to La Tour Eiffel.

"So, you said it'd be at the top?" Adrien looked up at the blinking red light on the tip of the antenna of the large iron structure.

"That's what the clue said," Marinette said, pointing at the small platform at the base of the antenna.

"You're not afraid of heights, are you?" Adrien asked, glancing back at his date.

Marinette grinned. "Nope! The higher, the better!"

"Good." Adrien squeezed Marinette's hand and they walked up to the base.

"Did you want to take the stairs or the lift?" Adrien asked as they joined the queue leading under the Parisian landmark.

"Let's do the lift on the way up, and the stairs on the way down." Marinette laughed ruefully. "Stairs are easier on the way down."

Adrien nodded in agreement, grinning. "Yeah, good idea." He slipped his hand away and pulled out his wallet to pay for tickets to the top. Marinette gazed up into the metal frame of the Eiffel Tower, suddenly wishing she could unsling her yo-yo and swing up to the summit. She thought back on all the times she'd been to this landmark, and she realized that it had been years since she'd just gone to the top as herself-without an akumatized victim and Cat Noir at her side. Her heart pounded louder as she glanced at the person beside her-the boy she'd liked from the moment he offered her his umbrella. Now here they were, travelling up to the top of the world's most renowned monument of the City of Love. Marinette suddenly felt dizzy and her knees started to tremble. She groped for something to lean onto and gripped Adrien's shoulder. He looked at her and smiled. Marinette took a deep breath and tried to slow her heart rate back to normal.

"You okay?" Adrien whispered, slipping his wallet back into his pocket and putting his arm around her cautiously. "I thought you said you weren't afraid of heights."

"I-I'm not." Marinette smiled shakily. "I'm fine. Let's go."

Adrien shot her a doubtful look, but he let her lead him to the elevators.

Marinette's heart was still racing as she and Adrien sped up to the top of La Tour Eiffel. Adrien kept glancing her, trying to decide if she had lied to him and was secretly terrified, but all Marinette could do was stare out at all of Paris beneath them growing smaller and smaller as the lift whirred stiffly.

A small pigeon flying past the reddish-brown tower caught Marinette's eye, and she watched as he paused and readjusted the small, fluffy white ball of cotton he clutched in his beak. Marinette smiled softly, imagining what a wonderful nest that would make.

Suddenly the elevator rumbled to a stop and the metal gate was pulled open. Adrien reached out and laced his fingers through Marinette's as the crowd of people pushed their way out of the lift.

"Stay close," he muttered. "I have a funny feeling about this."

Marinette nodded, hardly hearing him. Adrien's fingers were calloused and warm as they gently clasped hers. She suppressed a dreamy sigh and concentrated on the view beneath them. The city of Paris was still bustling with people, and Marinette's eyes were drawn to the line of cars that moved up and down Les Champs Elysees.

"Now let's find that treasure." Adrien moved toward the base of the huge antenna, pulling Marinette with him.

Something suddenly barreled into Marinette, clutched her leg. "Mama!"

Marinette jumped and emitted a small squeal. Adrien whipped around and squeezed Marinette's hand tighter, his eyes wild. "What's wrong?"

Marinette glanced down at the small child clutching her leg. "I think...he's lost."

The little boy that had ran into Marinette looked up at her, his eyes wide as he realized Marinette wasn't his mother. "Mama?"

Adrien's eyes softened, and Marinette let go of his hand bent down to stare into the little boy's soft brown eyes. "I'm not your mom, sweetheart. My name's Marinette. Are you all right?"

The boy's eyes grew bigger and started to fill with tears. "I-I don't know where my mommy is. Do you know where she is?"

Marinette put a hand on his shoulder. "No, little guy, I'm sorry."

"What's your name?" Adrien piped up, crouching next to Marinette. "What does your mom look like?"

"H-Henri. Henri Martin. She looks like her." Henri pointed to Marinette. Marinette and Adrien locked eyes.

"We need to find her," Marinette insisted.

Adrien nodded uneasily. "But I'm not leaving you alone. Something about this place..." He fingered a large silver ring on his right hand. "Feels ominous. Like we're being watched." He shivered. "Let's head back down the lift and look for someone that looks like you."

"But what if she's up here? Or she takes the stairs back up?" Marinette shook her head firmly. "We need to split up. I'll stay here; you go back down and look for his mom."

"Marinette-" Adrien protested, putting a hand on her arm.

"I'll be fine." Marinette smiled encouragingly. "Just...hurry back, okay?"

Adrien swallowed nervously and rose to his feet. "Okay. Be careful."

Marinette nodded, putting her arm around the little boy. "You too."

Adrien hesitated, then quickly leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. "Be back in a flash."

Marinette caught her breath, her cheeks coloring. Adrien studied her for a moment, then disappeared around the corner.

Marinette couldn't breathe; she felt her heart leap and rise to her throat, and she couldn't fill her lungs. _Adrien just kissed me!_

The little boy sniffled again, and Marinette blinked, coming back down to earth.

"All right Henri," Marinette squeezed the child's shoulders. "Let's go see if we can find your mom."

* * *

 ** _I left a reference to an old children's storybook in this chapter, and I'll be surprised if anyone catches it! ;) Leave a review if you know what I'm talking about!_**

 ** _Also, if you spot any more typos or have any other additional feedback or thoughts, let me know!_**

 ** _Thanks for reading! Stay tuned!_**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Hello again, friends!**_

 _ **To answer a question, no; the story is called Inspector Peckit. :) But that was a good guess! And I might still do a massive update anyway, so no worries!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Cat Noir skidded down the side of the Eiffel Tower, his eyes scanning the lifts and stairs running inside the frame.

"Come on, come on," he muttered, his heart pounding. "You've got to be here somewhere..."

His foot suddenly caught on something, and his left ankle flared in pain.  
"Not again!" Cat Noir stumbled and almost went reeling off the side of the Eiffel Tower. He hastily clicked open his staff and locked it in between the crossing bars of the tower. He let out his breath and glanced up to see what had tripped him.

A thick vine had grown up the side of the tower, intertwining between the bars.

Cat Noir felt his stomach drop. "How did that get there?" Carefully, he pulled in his staff and started to run along the vine. He traced it to a lift that was stuck in between the third and floor levels. The vine had pushed its way up onto the cable and had wrapped around it multiple times, rendering the elevator useless.

"Huh." Cat Noir held out his hand, palm out. "Cataclysm!"

A filmy black cloud bubbled into his palm, and he closed his fist around it. Then he reached out and put his hand on the vine. It dissolved in a puff of black smoke, and the elevator shuddered and began moving down once more.

Cat Noir swung himself closer, latching his stick back onto his belt as he grabbed a cross of bars near to the elevator. Then he continued to swing his way back to the second floor.

"If I can just find a place to switch back..." He grunted as his bounded off his ankle, making it throb.

Finally, he reached the second floor and rushed into one of the fancy restaurants on the second level. He pushed his way through a crowd of people as he headed for the bathroom.

"Excuse me, Cat Noir coming through!" He said hastily, his ring beeping a warning. The crowds parted, muttering and pointing, and Cat Noir suddenly found his way clear. He bolted for the restroom and quickly swung the stall door shut behind him.

There was a flash of light, and Plagg zipped out of Adrien's ring.

"Ugh," Plagg moaned, dropping through the air like a stone. Adrien caught his kwami and slipped him into his pocket.

"Hang in there, Plagg!"

Marinette squeezed Henri's hand and bent down to look into his eyes. "I'm sure she's just down at the bottom. My friend will find her."

Henri sniffled. "I want my mommy." His lip trembled, and he wiped his runny nose on his sleeve.

"Oh, come here, bud..." Marinette held out her arms and Henri stumbled forward, bursting into tears.

"Henri!" A woman with dark hair ran towards Marinette, her eyes wide. Marinette pulled away from the boy and grinned.

"It's your mom, Henri!" She wiped a tear from his cheek and turned him around to face his mother. Henri's mother scooped him up into her arms and kissed his cheek.

"Henri, what did we say about staying with mommy?" She scolded gently, smoothing his brown hair.

"To stay by her feet," Henri grinned sheepishly.

Adrien pushed past Henri and his mom and grabbed Marinette's hands.

"Are you okay?" He asked urgently. "Is everything all right?"

Marinette laughed at his anxiety. "Adrien, I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"Let's just find the treasure and get out of here." Adrien looked around darkly.

"Do we have to leave so soon?" Marinette said wistfully, gazing out over Paris.

Adrien looked back at her incredulously, letting go of her hands. "Why? It's dangerous here!"

"Well, it's the Eiffel Tower..." Marinette mumbled. "And I'm here with you." She bit her lip.

Adrien scratched the back of neck, his cheeks turning pink. "Okay, I, uh, guess we can hang around a little bit."

"Excuse me." Henri's mom put her hand on Adrien's shoulder, and he turned in surprise. "I just wanted to thank you for helping to get my son back to me."

"Hey, no problem!" Adrien grinned.

"Our pleasure," Marinette added.

Henri's mother smiled, and Henri waved happily. "Bye bye, Marinette!"

"Bye, Henri!" Marinette waggled her fingers, beaming.

Marinette sighed in relief as Henri and his mother disappeared into the lift.

"I'm glad we got that straightened out."

"We really do make a good team, Marinette." Adrien glanced sideways at her.

Marinette blushed. "Naw, I'm just...you're just...uhh..." She pushed her bangs out of her face nervously.

Adrien chuckled. "You're so cute, Marinette."

Marinette blushed deeper. "Oh, uh, thanks, Adrien."

Adrien winked and turned back out to the railing. "So, do you know where the treasure might be?"

"I do, actually!" Marinette took a deep breath and steadied herself. "When I was looking for Henri's mom, I found it around the other side. I was going to wait for you to open it, though."

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Adrien rolled his eyes, grinning. "Lead the way!"

Marinette grinned and marched toward the opposite side of the balcony, her shoes clanging softly on the metal. She pointed to a small cardboard box in the corner adjacent to the antenna. "There it is!"

Adrien grinned and surged forward. "Let's open it!"

They each took a side and pulled open the box. Inside, wrapped in aluminum foil, were three things: a gray instant print camera, a package of two little plastic spyglasses, and a small bag of caramels.

"What's with the aluminum foil?" Adrien asked curiously, pushing it aside as he withdrew the spyglasses.

Marinette shrugged. "Ayla's mom is a chef, so I guess she has a lot of it.

"Hey, these are pretty cool!" Adrien grabbed the toy spyglasses, ripping open the plastic wrapping. "These actually look pretty good."

Marinette's hands wrapped around the instant print camera. She turned it over in her hands and found a sticky note posted on it from Ayla: "Take that picture you've always wanted! PS: I want this back! -Ayla."

"I can see my house from here!" Adrien joked, putting one of the spyglasses up to his eye and looking out over Paris.

"Adrien, let's take a picture!" Marinette blurted, holding up the camera. "Over here, where you can see the Champs Elysées!"

Adrien grinned. "All right!" He and Marinette moved up against the iron railing.

"How does this thing work?" Marinette stared at the camera, running her fingers over all the buttons.

"Here, I'll take it." Adrien took the camera from Marinette. "Get closer, then we can see more of the city."

Marinette's heart fluttered as she slid nearer to Adrien. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Marinette gasped as she was yanked off balance. She stumbled and fell into Adrien, her hand landing on his chest.

"Smile!" Adrien held out Ayla's camera and grinned. Marinette blushed and smiled as the camera flashed.

The camera clicked, and the picture popped out the bottom. Marinette grabbed it eagerly and looked at it.

"I want this one!" She hugged it close to her chest.

"I need one too!" Adrien held up the camera, pulling Marinette closer to him once again. "You ready?"

Marinette slipped the photo into her jacket pocket and looked up. "What?"

"Come on, I want one too!" Adrien grinned.

"Y-you do?" Marinette stammered, looking up into Adrien's face.

"Of course! I've spent the day with the cutest girl in Paris and all I get is a plastic spyglass?" He winked flirtatiously. "Come on, little lady, I don't bite."

Marinette's mouth opened slightly, and she let Adrien pull her in tighter. Automatically, her hand rose and rested itself on his chest, and Adrien extended his arm, holding the camera out away from them.

Marinette smiled happily. Adrien's finger twitched, and he rested it on the shutter button. Just as he pushed the button, he suddenly turned his head and leaned in toward Marinette. As the camera clicked and the light flashed, Adrien lips pressed into Marinette's cheek.

Marinette gasped. "Adrien! Did you...did you just..."

Adrien reached out and pulled out the picture.

"Perfect." He smiled softly, sticking the picture in his pocket and setting the camera back on the iron grate beneath them.

Marinette was speechless. She gazed up at Adrien, her blue eyes wide. Her hands clenched and unclenched on his chest.

Adrien laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. "Cat got your tongue?"

* * *

 _ **Thanks for your support! I'm glad you're as excited as I am about this fic! :) It's been SO fun to write, and I'm planning on doing a sequel in relation to the second season! Any ideas on plot elements, leave a review!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! Stay tuned!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**_Here comes prom! :) This is my second favorite part. It's a little longer, but I'm trying to keep it all together. :)_**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

* * *

Adrien straightened his thin red tie nervously. "Do all girls take this long to get ready for a dance?"

Mr. Dupain-Cheng chuckled. "Always. Somehow, it makes them happier the longer they primp and preen."

Adrien nodded, thinking of all the girls he'd modelled with. "I believe it..."

They sat there in silence for a few more moments, Adrien readjusting the red and white corsage he rested on his knee. He glanced around at the Dupain-Cheng's small but cozy home, finding all the pictures of Marinette that were displayed around the living room. She seemed to be always dressed in her favorite shade of coral pink, and she always had a huge grin on her face as she held up a scarf or a baguette and wrapped her arms around her parents.

Adrien felt a sudden shaft of pain in his chest. All the pictures of him that were displayed in his house were modelling pictures, and he was never smiling. His father would die of shame before he posted a picture of Adrien doing something so commonplace as flipping a pancake.

"Let me go check on them," Mr. Dupain-Cheng said, rising to his feet. "Just to make sure they're all right."

Adrien laughed. "Good thinking."

Plagg squirmed anxiously as Mr. Dupain-Cheng climbed up the stairs.

"Wait..." Adrien murmured, watching until Marinette's father's feet finally faded from view. Then he opened his tuxedo jacket, letting his kwami out into the open air.

"Phew. You're pretty nervous, aren't you?" Plagg studied Adrien carefully.

Adrien let out a deep breath. "You think?" He set the corsage on the couch next to them.

"Why?" Plagg tilted his head curiously. "You know Marinette's crazy about you, right?"

Adrien scoffed. "Crazy? Naw, we're just friends." He felt a pang in his chest. "Well, that's what she thinks anyway."

"You did kiss her at the top of the Eiffel Tower," Plagg noted. "That seems awfully friendly to me."

"But...but she doesn't think of me like that," Adrien insisted, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the flashlight from Marinette. "Besides, what about Ladybug?"

Plagg rolled his eyes. "You brought that with you?"

Adrien's cheek colored, and he put the flashlight back in his pocket. "Is that weird?"

Plagg opened his mouth to answer, but Adrien heard footsteps above him and grabbed his kwami.

"Hide, Plagg!" He hissed, shoving his friend into an inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket.

"Here she comes!" Mr. Dupain-Cheng announced as he walked down the stairs.

Marinette's father grinned. "Are you ready, Adrien?"

Adrien opened his mouth to respond, but then Marinette appeared at the top of the stairs, and he was speechless.

She wore a creamy white dress that was fitted around her waist with a silky red bow and flared out, the hem just covering her knees. The shoulders were smooth, ending mid-bicep and were tied off with little red bows. The fabric shimmered as Marinette walked gracefully down the stairs, and Adrien thought he saw little red sparkles trailing behind her. Her blue-black hair was gathered into an elegant knot on the top of her head with a red ribbon holding it in place. Her face was shining, and she beamed as Adrien's eyes grew wider. He cleared his throat and quickly moved to the landing of the stairs, his hand quivering as he held it out to his date.

"My lady," he said softly. Marinette's smile grew wider and she took his hand, shifting her purse further back on her hip.

"H-Hi, Adrien," Marinette said shyly, coming down the last couple of stairs. The tip of her sparkly red heels caught on the stairs, and she stumbled forward. Smoothly, Adrien took a step forward and caught Marinette easily, his arms tightening around her waist

"Stupid...clumsy..." Marinette blushed, her hands clutching his shoulders. Adrien steadied her, grinning.

"I got you, don't worry."

Marinette's father roared with laughter. "Marinette, I think you're going to be well cared for!"

Adrien flushed with embarrassment and he and Marinette quickly stepped apart.

"Th-thank you, sir." Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

"I think so too, dad," Marinette said, smiling sideways at Adrien.

"I-I have something for you." Adrien turned and strode into the living room, grabbing the corsage off the settee.

"Oh! Me too!" Marinette headed into the kitchen and picked up a small plastic box out of the fridge.

The two teens met again by the stairs, holding out their flowers to each other.

"Y-you first!" Adrien held out the bracelet of flowers. A rose was centered on the elastic with two fluffy white carnations supporting it on either side. Two plastic ladybugs rested on the petals of the carnations, their black spots prominent against the white and red.

"Adrien, it's beautiful!" Marinette gushed, holding out her hand. Adrien carefully slipped it on her wrist. "I love the ladybugs!"  
"Thanks! I do too." Adrien's hand lingered on Marinette's arm before he took a step back.

"Okay, now me." Adrien glanced down at his lapels expectantly. Marinette obliged, stepping closer to him and popping open the florist box.

"Did you design this?" Adrien asked as Marinette positioned the small cluster of red and white roses against Adrien's lapel. Marinette nodded, her tongue protruding out the tip of her mouth as she delicately pinned the flowers to Adrien's jacket.

"It's fantastic." Adrien smiled softly. Marinette beamed as she stepped away.

"Well, have her home before one!" Mr. Dupain-Cheng instructed, holding out a hand to Adrien. He shook it firmly. "I will, sir."

"Be careful!" Marinette's mother said, clasping her hands in front of her. "Call me if you need anything, sweetie!"

"Okay, mom." Marinette slipped her hand around Adrien's elbow, grasping his forearm. "See you later!"

"Have fun!" Marinette's parents chorused, waving. Marinette dragged Adrien toward the door, grabbing a red sweater on her way out.

"Th-thank you!" Adrien called over his shoulder as Marinette slammed the door closed behind them.

Marinette exhaled. "I'm sorry about that. My parents are awkward sometimes."

Adrien laughed, raising his arm to make a square for Marinette. "I think it's nice. I wish my parents were like that."

Marinette smiled hesitantly, squeezing Adrien's arm as she shifted her balance.

"You look beautiful, by the way." Adrien grinned. "Just magnificent. It's so...you." He gestured to the dress, turning to gaze at Marinette. "The red and white...with your hair and your eyes..." Adrien cleared his throat, realizing that he was babbling. "You're beautiful, Marinette."

Marinette blushed, smiling down at her shoes. "Th-thanks."

"Every guy's going to be jealous of me tonight." Adrien straightened his shoulders, his chin coming up. "I've got the most beautiful date in Paris."

Marinette giggled, nudging Adrien. "Well that makes two of us."

Adrien glanced sideways at her, smirking. "I didn't know you had it in you, little lady!"

Marinette's eyes widened. "Oh! Did I say that aloud?"

Adrien burst into fresh peals of laughter, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, Marinette, you're an absolute joy." He winked. "Let's head to the dance, yes? Show off our awesome moves?"

"Anything with you," Marinette cooed, leaning in closer. Adrien raised an eyebrow, grinning. Marinette covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Oops. There I go again." She tightened her grip on Adrien's arm. "Let's just go."

Adrien chuckled and lead Marinette carefully down the stairs. "I asked my father if we could up the stakes for the dance, so..." He trailed off as he pulled open the door to the street.

Marinette gasped. "A limo! Oh Adrien..." She beamed at him, her eyes sparkling.

Adrien winked. "What do you think? Good?" He held out his arm again, and Marinette took it eagerly.

"This is great! I can't believe it..." She let Adrien lead to her the sleek black automobile. Adrien opened the door for her with a short bow.

"Need a ride, little lady?"

"I do, sir." Marinette giggled shyly, sliding into the limousine. Adrien waited until she was settled before running around the other side and clambering into the car.

"Go ahead." Adrien called to his driver. Adrien's bodyguard nodded silently, and the limousine rumbled as it sped off to the school.

Adrien slid closer to Marinette. "Are you excited?"

Marinette grinned. "I don't think 'excited' covers it. I've been looking forward to this for a long time." She blushed and clasped her hands in her lap.

Adrien put his hands over hers, squeezing them gently. "Me too."

Marinette's blush deepened, and she laughed softly. "I still can't believe this is happening..."

"What?" Adrien asked curiously, still holding her hands.

"You...me...prom..." Marinette smiled wryly. "I thought you never even noticed me."

Adrien chuckled. "Marinette, it's hard not to notice you."

Marinette slipped a hand away, feeling her cheeks. "Stop, I'm red enough as it is!"

Adrien winked, lacing his fingers through hers. "I noticed that."

Marinette sighed happily as Adrien's fingers slipped in between hers.

They sat in silence for the remainder of the trip, enjoying each other's company. Adrien's bodyguard kept glancing at them, as if he was chaperoning them, and Adrien made sure that the sight of their clasped hands was out of his view.

The black limousine rolled up in front of the school and Adrien's large chauffeur set the car in park.

"Wait here," Adrien instructed, slipping his hand away and getting out of the car. He dashed around the back and quickly yanked open the door for Marinette.

"Thank you." Marinette set a sparkly red heel on the sidewalk and prepared to step out.

"Here, let me help." Adrien stepped closer and offered his hand. Marinette took it, grinning, and gracefully stepped out of the car. The pear orchard in the front was decorated with white streamers, and music and flashing lights blared from inside the school. Groups of students were everywhere; a group of boys was clambering up the trees in the orchard, a couple of girls sat on the steps, rubbing their feet, and there was a huge crowd of people just stood chatting at the base of the stairs.

"Is that Adrien Agreste?" A voice cried, and Adrien and Marinette were suddenly swarmed with photographers.

"Adrien, is this one of your father's designs?"

"Who is your date, Adrien? Is she one of your father's models?"

"Does your father have a statement on your outfit, Adrien?"

"Sheesh, can't a guy take a date to prom?" Adrien snapped, annoyed. He put his arm around Marinette's shoulders and pushed his way through the crowd. Marinette's eyes were wide and innocent, and she was frozen with shock.

"Just keep walking," Adrien murmured in her ear. "Ignore them."

The photographers clamored around them, snapping photos and all shouting varying questions regarding Adrien's father.

"Does this always happen?" Marinette whispered.

"No." Adrien said shortly. "Natalie usually manages to keep them away. I wonder how they found out I'd be here."

Suddenly, the photographers parted, and Chloe stood before them at the base of the stairs. She wore a frilly, fluffy floor-length yellow dress with elbow-length shiny black gloves, and her eyes were heavily lidded under yellow and black eyeshadow.

"I know who told him," Marinette said flatly, leaning closer to Adrien possessively.

"Chloe," Adrien said wearily, squeezing Marinette encouragingly. "Can't you give us a break?"

Chloe scowled at them. "And why should I?"

"Forget it." Adrien sighed, letting his arm drop from around Marinette. She glanced at him curiously. "Just watch, Chloe. You'll see what my feelings are."

He deliberately laced his fingers through Marinette's and pulled her up the stairs. Marinette stuck her tongue out at Chloe as she passed by.

Chloe spluttered in anger, but Adrien and Marinette didn't look back.

"That felt good." Marinette took a deep breath, reaching across her body and grasping Adrien's forearm.

"I still can't believe her," Adrien muttered darkly. "Why can't she just-"

"Adrien! My man!" Nino grabbed Adrien's shoulder, turning him around. Adrien grinned and released Marinette's hand as Nino encased his best friend in a hug.

"I told you it was good idea!" Nino winked at Marinette over Adrien's shoulder. She winked back.

"You weren't wrong!" Adrien pulled away, putting his arm around his date. "I've got the most beautiful date in Paris!"

Marinette blushed, giggling.

"I might have to disagree with you, bro." Nino grinned, stepping aside to present his date. Alya had a floor-length shimmering blue dress on with purple accents that matched her glasses.

"Alya! I love it!" Marinette cried, pushing past Adrien to hug her friend. "I told you it was the one!"

Alya laughed, patting Marinette on the back. "Yeah, well, you were right all the same."

"Let's chill out here for a second, dudes!" Nino slung his arm over Adrien's shoulder and they stood at the top of the stairs. "It's hot in there."

Marinette shared a smile with Alya, and they stepped away from the boys for a moment.

"Any other details I need to know?" Alya asked Marinette softly. "How did the pictures turn out?"

Marinette sighed happily. "Alya, they were wonderful! He kissed my cheek in one!" She pointed to her face. "Right here!"

Alya's eyes widened. "No way! What else?"

"He's been holding my hand and putting his arm around me all day," Marinette babbled, "And he basically told me he likes me!"

"You go, girl!" Alya gave Marinette a high five. "That's awesome!"

There was a sudden howl of anger from the pear orchard down the stairs.

"My trees!" A voice yelled. "You stupid children!"

Marinette stopped. "Did you hear something?"

"Hm?" Alya turned curiously. "What, M?"

"I, uh, got to go," Marinette blurted, backing away. "I think I left something in the car."

Adrien and Nino turned around. Adrien raised an eyebrow. "You okay, little lady?"

"I'll be right back!" Marinette turned on her heels, dashing back outside. Her feet wobbled, and she almost fell.

"Whoa." Adrien's arms were suddenly around her, and he steadied her. "Good thing I followed you."

"Adrien, you should go back inside," Marinette insisted, grabbing his hands and pushing them away. "It's not safe."

"What? No, I'm not just going to leave you." Adrien stared at her in confusion. Then his gaze fell on something over her shoulder. His eyes widened nervously.

"What?" Marinette said sharply, glancing behind her. "What is it?"

Adrien swallowed nervously, his arm going around Marinette once more. He turned her toward the orchard. "I think you'd better just see."

All the pear trees in the orchard were growing, expanding into enormous trees with trunks the size of cars. The boys that were messing around in the trees earlier yelped and were running out back onto the cement.

Marinette gasped, moving closer. "The pear trees! Of course!"

"They've been popping up all over Paris," Adrien breathed, coming up behind her. "At Notre Dame, at the Luxembourg Gardens..." He cursed under his breath. "I should've noticed!"

"This is all my fault!" Marinette and Adrien cried in unison. Then they turned to each other, eyes wide.

"Your fault? How-how is this your fault?" Adrien asked.

Marinette gulped. "I might ask you same question."

The garden wall lining the orchard suddenly burst, bricks flying in every direction. Adrien leaped forward, shielding Marinette's body with his own.

"Get inside!" He yelled over the screams of his fellow students. "It's not safe out here!"

"Adrien, what about you?" Marinette cried, trying to break away from his embrace.

"Go!" Adrien kissed her cheek and shoved her toward the stairs. Then he disappeared into the crowd.

Marinette blinked, reeling for a moment. Adrien just kissed her! Again!

"Marinette!" Tikki hissed from inside her friend's small pink purse. "We need to help!"

"Right!" Marinette shook her head, trying to focus. She darted into a corner and clicked open her purse.

"Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

 _ **Sorry about the cliffhanger! I promise I'll upload the resolution and the end tomorrow, though!**_

 _ **Any thoughts, inklings, prediction...leave them in a review!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Hi everyone! Thank you SO much for your wonderful reviews! I'm glad I have that effect. :) I'm also one of those people who have a checklist, so one of the reasons I wrote this is because I wanted something I knew I'd want to read on here, no offense to any of you other writers out there.**_

 _ **Prepare for a massive upload! It's all coming up today!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Ladybug hooked her yo-yo up onto the pillars of the school, launching herself closer to the expanding orchard of trees.

"This is my fault!" She said bitterly. "I never de-evilized the akuma! And now Poison Ivy's back! With more power than before!"

Cat Noir landed next to her. "No, if it's anyone's fault it's mine! My stupid ankle just had to buckle, and you saved me instead of stopping the akuma." Adrien glared at his foot. "Stupid ankle!"

A huge vine was beginning to wind its way through the trees, making its way toward the school.  
Ladybug shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "Look, however it happened doesn't matter. We just have to stop her for good this time." She held out her hand to her partner. "Are you with me?"

Cat Noir took it instantly. "Always, m'lady."

Ladybug smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Cat. Now then..." She and Cat Noir raced into the orchard. "Poison Ivy must be in here somewhere!"

"We'd better hurry! These trees look about ready to burst!" Cat Noir warned, running his hand over an especially large pear tree.

The two superheroes glanced around the orchard, looking for the leafy green dress and the long pitchfork.

"I don't see her..." Cat Noir squinted through the branches.

Ladybug suddenly heard a resounding cackle. "I hear her! Where is she?" She moved further into the trees, stepping over fallen pears.

"The vines!" Cat Noir grasped Ladybug's shoulder. "M'lady, there's a trail of vines heading toward the Eiffel Tower!" He jumped up onto a particularly thick vine and started running along it as it snaked out into the streets of Paris.

"Cat Noir, wait!" Ladybug ran after him. "We should stick together!"

Cat Noir glanced behind him, gesturing for Ladybug to join him. "Well, come on then!"

A small vine began to race up the larger one, slipping over Ladybug's feet.

"Ah!" Ladybug tripped, her yo-yo slipping out of her hand. The smaller vine started to wrap itself onto Cat Noir's right hand-right over his miraculous.

"Cat Noir!" Ladybug screamed, scrambling to for her yo-yo. "Your Miraculous!"

Cat Noir's eyes widened, and he glanced at his right hand. The vine quickened, and it tightened around Cat Noir's finger.

"No!" He cried as the ring was pulled off his hand. His body was suddenly encased in light.

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. "Now you've done it!" She flicked her yo-yo forward, wrapping it around the small vine that now held Cat Noir's miraculous. The light diminished, and Adrien collapsed on the large vine, still dressed in his shiny black tuxedo.

"Adrien!" Ladybug gasped, freezing in shock.

Adrien glanced up at Ladybug, struggling to his feet. "Ladybug, I...I..."

"All this time..." Ladybug breathed. Suddenly, she felt a jerk on her arm and she was pulled off balance. The smaller vine was zipping along the larger vine, Adrien's ring still on the tip. Ladybug braced her heels in the ground, realizing her yo-yo was still wrapped tight around the vine.

"My miraculous!" Adrien rushed closer to Ladybug, seizing her hand and keeping her from being yanked with the vine. "I'm coming with you!"

"No, it's not safe!" Ladybug argued, trying to shake him off.

"I'm Cat Noir!" Adrien insisted. "I can help!" He tightened his grip on her hand.

The creeper suddenly jerked Ladybug into the air. "I guess we don't have a choice!" She clutched Adrien's hand desperately as the vine dragged them over the roofs of Paris.

Ladybug couldn't help but stare down at the real Cat Noir. Everything made sense now; the green eyes, the blonde hair, the banter that had gone between them as they tried to figure out the clues...she was surprised she hadn't figured it out earlier.

"Adrien, it's been you all along, hasn't it?"

Adrien nodded glumly. "I didn't want for you to find out this way."

"You should be glad we were far enough away from the school when you lost your miraculous," Ladybug said, winking. "Now it's just me that knows who you really are."

Adrien stared down at the river that was flashing beneath them. "What am I going to tell Marinette? I just left her there..." He sighed. "Some prom date I've been, running off every other second to change into Cat Noir."

Ladybug gasped, remembering the incident at Notre Dame. "That was you! That was all you!"

Adrien looked up at her in confusion. "What? What was me?"

Ladybug snapped her mouth shut. "N-nothing." She tried to think of something to say to help support her identity. "You, uh, went to prom?"

Adrien nodded, his eyes brightening. "Yeah! We've had so much fun! We..." he trailed off, his eyes narrowing. "Hang on. Were you at prom too? Is that how you got here so quickly?"

Ladybug nodded, flushing slightly but remaining silent.

"With who?" Adrien demanded.

"I, uh..." Ladybug was cut off as the vine suddenly jerked, and Ladybug and Adrien yelped, falling to the ground. They were at the top of the Eiffel Tower, the metal grating surrounding them teeming with vines.

"Watch out!" Adrien cried a warning as the vines under Ladybug's feet started moving towards her. She leapt out of the way, hanging on the side of the tower. Then she yelped as her handhold moved, and she climbed higher to avoid the vines.

Adrien stood on the vines, frowning curiously. "Why are they only attacking you?"

"They must not realize you're a threat!" Ladybug panted, jumping off the side of the tower back to the balcony. "They don't recognize you!"

The vine that brought them there snaked its way to the yellow elevator, Adrien's silver ring gleaming in the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower.

"Oh no you don't!" Ladybug lashed out with her yo-yo, and the magical wire sliced cleanly through the vine. The ring clattered to the grated floor, shining in the darkness of the lift.

"Gotcha!" Ladybug rushed forward, yanking open the door to the lift and jumping inside. The darkness engulfed her, and Adrien lost sight of the superhero.

"Ladybug, no!" Adrien cried, dashing toward the elevator. "It could be a..."

A huge network of vines suddenly started to fall from the antenna, making a cage over the open door.

"...trap." Adrien finished, his heart sinking.

"No!" Ladybug yelled from the darkness inside the lift, kicking against the vines. "I-I'm trapped!"

Adrien seized the vines trying to yank them apart. "I'll get you out, m'lady!"

"Adrien, no! They'll know it's you!" Adrien heard movement from inside, then saw a bright flash of light. "You've got to take these! If I can't get out, I at least won't give her my miraculous!"

"Take what?" Adrien asked, bewildered. "Ladybug?"

Ladybug kicked open a window, then threw out a small purse. "My earrings! They're in the purse!" She broke off, realizing what she had done. "M-my purse."

The vines quickly swarmed over the window, covering up the hole Ladybug had created.  
"But...but you still have my ring!" Adrien stuttered, grabbing the purse and running his hand over the hole, now completely covered with vines. "Ladybug?"

"Exactly!" Ladybug cried, her voice growing fainter as the vines expanded. "They don't know who we are! Poison Ivy's nowhere nearby, it's just her vines. Once she finds out she's captured me..." Ladybug's voice quivered. "That's when she'll come. You've got to get me out of here, Adrien! Hurry!"

"But...but..." Adrien stared down at the purse in his hands. It was a small black and pink clutch purse with an M on the front. He felt a stab of excitement in his chest. "M-Marinette?"

The vines were starting to harden, changing from a bright green to the dark brown.

Adrien leaned up against the side of the elevator, his thoughts swirling. "All this time...throughout the whole date...it's been you all along!"

Marinette was silent, and Adrien glanced behind him. "Marinette? Are you still there?"

"I'm here." Marinette's voice was tense with anxiety. "I'm here, Adrien."

Adrien's heart ached as he thought about the two girls he liked- _Make that one,_ he amended-were trapped in the plant-covered cage. He rose to his feet determinedly, slinging Marinette's purse across his body.

"I'll get you out," He said firmly. "I promise, Marinette."

"Thanks, Adrien." Marinette answered, her voice weak.

Adrien started pacing. "I need to be able to break through these vines. What do I have that can stop them?

"Vines are plants," Marinette noted, and Adrien could hear her feet tapping on the metal grate.

"Yeah, but how can I get them to go away?" Adrien ran his hands through his hair, wishing his brain would move faster. "Plants don't like fire, right? Do you have any matches or anything?"

"Matches?" Marinette repeated. "No, Adrien. Fresh out of matches."

Adrien groaned, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "If it was daytime, we could use the sun to start a fire. But it's night..." His hands closed around the decorated flashlight from his prom date. He drew it out of his pocket, staring at it.

"Marinette, the flashlight you made for me has batteries, right?"

"Y-yeah, I think so?"

Adrien grinned. "I've got an idea!"


	16. Chapter 16

"Do you really think this will work?" Marinette's voice had a twinge of doubt.

"Fear not, my lady." Adrien popped open his flashlight and pulled out the battery. "Even though this tin foil isn't quite steel wool, it should be enough to light this pile of cotton I found." He stuffed the flashlight back in his pocket. "Marinette, I really wish I could see you."

"Yeah." Marinette said softly. "I want to see you too, Adrien." She paused. "Wait a second. You just found a pile of cotton? And tin foil?"

"The foil was from the treasure," Adrien said, "We left the box up here, remember? And the cotton was just all nestled in the bars."

Marinette gasped, and Adrien heard her jump to her feet. "It was a bird's nest! Adrien!"

"What?" Adrien said innocently. "It's to break you out!"

Marinette groaned. "Okay, fine. But we're bringing something back for that pigeon, okay?"

"Deal." Adrien knelt and dropped the battery into his pile of shredded aluminum foil and cotton.

"Adrien, how did you learn about fire starting?" Marinette asked curiously.

"Hey, I had a lot of spare time on my hands before I started school." Adrien knelt as the bits of aluminum started to spark. He held his hands up as a shield from the wind, and the sparks flew onto the cotton. Adrien took a deep breath and started blowing gently on the embers. Smoke started to swirl up away from the bits of cotton.

"Ladybug!" A voice shrieked, and a flash of light shone just on the opposite side of the Seine.

"Hurry," Marinette urged. "She'll be here any second!"

A small flame started flickering feebly in middle of the pile of cotton, and the smoke grew heavier. The vines shuddered and started withdrawing back up onto the grate, shying away from the smoke and flames.

"Get ready," Adrien warned, grasping the handles of the now-clear elevator doors. The vines flashed back into a bright green and crawled away from the yellow lift, leaving the doors open and clear.

"Now!" Adrien yanked on the handles as Marinette slammed into them from the other side. The doors burst open, and Marinette tumbled out, still clad in her white and red formal.

"Watch out" She cried, crashing into Adrien. He caught her by the shoulders.  
"Ladybug!" Poison Ivy's voice. "Now's the moment for you to give up! Hand over your Miraculous!"

"Hide!" Adrien hissed, and he and Marinette darted around the back of the lift.

"Come on, Ladybug!" Poison Ivy taunted, and Adrien saw her shadow fall across the metal bars of the Eiffel Tower. "I know you're in there!"

"What do we do?" Marinette breathed, leaning up against Adrien. "How are we going to break the pitchfork?"

"Simple." Adrien tapped Marinette on the nose, then pointed to her ears. "I give you your earrings, you give me my ring, and we switch back. Use our powers and then-voila! No more akuma."

Marinette shook her head uneasily. "As soon as we change back, those vines are going to come at us with everything they've got. We both nearly lost our miraculouses, Adrien. This isn't going to be 'simple', as you put it."

"But you can't de-evilze the akuma without your yo-yo," Adrien protested.

"But we can break the pitchfork." Marinette's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "Then she can't control them anymore. Then I can transform and capture the akuma."

Adrien pursed his lips, thinking. "I-I don't know, Marinette. This is risky, even for us."

"Trust me." Marinette waggled her fingers at Adrien, showing him the thick silver ring she wore on her hand. "We can do this."

Adrien took a deep breath, encasing Marinette in his arms. "I hope so."

"Well!" A voice called out from behind them. "Isn't this cute! What, may I ask are you doing in my tower?"

Adrien and Marinette started, jerking around to face the voice. Poison Ivy smirked, levelling her pitchfork at them. Adrien shoved his way in front of Marinette, throwing his arm out to protect her. Marinette laced her fingers through his, squeezing his hand.

She raised her voice, lacing it with panic as she pushed her way forward to stand beside her partner.

"Who-who are you?" Marinette stuttered, her eyes wide. "I don't understand! Wh-where did all the vines come from?"

Poison Ivy's eyes narrowed. "Little girl, answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"We just wanted to come to the Eiffel Tower," Adrien said, glaring at the villain. "It's prom, can't you see?" He gestured to his tuxedo. "We just wanted to spend the evening together. For prom." He shot a gentle smile at Marinette, and her heart fluttered.

Poison Ivy suddenly grabbed his hand, yanking it up in front of her eyes.

"Hey!" Adrien yelped, stumbling forward. "What-"

"No ring." Poison Ivy cursed, then lunged toward Marinette, her pitchfork levelled at the girl's throat. Marinette cried out, shying away.

"And you're not wearing any earrings." Poison Ivy sounded disappointed.

"Um, sorry?" Marinette locked eyes with Adrien. _She's looking for us!_

Poison Ivy grunted, turning away from the two teens. "Fine. I'll look elsewhere."

"Um, wait!" Marinette pulled away from Adrien, running after Poison Ivy. "I-I have a question, Poison Ivy!"

"Not now, child!" Poison Ivy snarled, whirling on Marinette.

"It's about pear trees." Marinette crossed her fingers behind her back, walking around to face the supervillain.

"Pear trees?" The villain's voice took on a dreamy tone.

"Yes, pear trees." Marinette breathed a sigh of relief, nodding meaningfully to Adrien. His eyes widened with understanding and he started to creep along behind Poison Ivy.

"So, what do you put on your trees to make them grow so well?" Marinette scanned her surroundings, looking for something to aid them. Adrien's small fire was still flickering merrily as it continued to consume the vines that were knotted around the frame of the Eiffel Tower. "You don't BURN them or anything, do you?" She glanced behind her shoulder at Adrien. He gave her a thumbs-up, grinning.

"Burn them? Why no, of course not." Poison Ivy tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "Pear trees need a lot of water, and fertilizer is good too..." Poison Ivy chattered on, sometimes using her hands to demonstrate different ways to prune or graft the trees. Finally, Poison Ivy started to describe the size of pear, and Marinette seized her chance.

"How big do the pears get?" She interrupted, holding up her hands. "This big?" She mimed holding a pear with one hand.

"No, child," Poison Ivy snorted derisively. "Much bigger."

"How big?" Marinette's eyes grew bigger as she acted astonished. "Show me!"

Poison Ivy planted her pitchfork into the grates of the Eiffel Tower. She held out her two hands. "This big."

Adrien bounded forward, grabbing the pitchfork. "Can I borrow this? Thanks." He darted around the side of the elevator, following the smoke trail.

"What? Give that back!" Poison Ivy shrieked.

Marinette ignored her, running after Adrien. "Hurry, Adrien!"

Adrien threw the pitchfork deliberately into the fire. "Oops. Just kidding, I don't think you want it back now."

Poison Ivy snarled, diving at Adrien. "No!"

The pitchfork crackled as it started to burn. A large crack appeared in the wood, and the akuma fluttered out, barely visible in the smoke. Suddenly, all the vines went limp, and Poison Ivy was engulfed in a cloud of black mist.

"Adrien! My purse!"

Adrien stripped the purse off his shoulder and tossed it to Marinette. "Give me my ring, I don't think you should transform with it."

Marinette pulled Adrien's ring off her finger and pressed it into his hand. Then she clicked open her purse and seized her earrings. Anxiously she put them on, and Tikki appeared before her.  
"Tikki, spots on!"

"I knew you could do it!" Tikki crowed as she zipped into Marinette's earrings. Marinette glowed momentarily, and then Ladybug unslung her yo-yo.

"Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug clicked open her yo-yo and swung it into the smoke, quickly capturing the akuma inside. Then she pulled back, recalling her yo-yo. "Gotcha!"

She tapped on the surface of her yo-yo and released the milky white butterfly back into the air. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

"So." Cat Noir winked, coming up to stand beside Ladybug. "Since you didn't use your lucky charm, does that mean there's still pear trees everywhere?"

Ladybug felt a thrill of worry. "I-I don't know! What do I do?"

Cat Noir shrugged. "Try something. Maybe just your yo-yo?"

"It's worth a shot," Ladybug agreed. She thrust your yo-yo up into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

A cloud of shiny Ladybugs burst out of the spotted yo-yo and swarmed out over Paris.

Ladybug grinned. "Does that answer your question?"

Cat Noir watched as the line of pear trees along the Seine disappeared, with help the ladybugs. "Yup."

Ladybug looked sideways at Cat Noir. "Hey, uh, Adrien?"

Cat Noir panicked for a moment, then relaxed. "Oh yeah. You already knew that, huh?"

"Did the fire go out yet?"

* * *

 _ **Et voila! There's the climax. :) This took forever to work out in my head, then even longer to put it on paper. I'm glad it turned out all right, though!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! Leave a review with your thoughts!**_


	17. Chapter 17--Epilogue

Adrien and Marinette stepped out of the lift, hand and hand, and simultaneously glanced up at the Eiffel Tower above them.

"That really happened, didn't it?" Marinette said softly. "You're really Cat Noir?"

"And you're really Ladybug." Adrien laughed softly. "It all makes sense now..."

"Isn't it funny that we still found each other?" Marinette grinned. "That we were still friends in real life?"

Adrien laughed. "Oh, I don't think it's an accident." He squeezed Marinette's hand, and they started walking across the courtyard toward the river. "We should get back to prom. It's almost midnight."

"Wait," Marinette said softly, and she stopped, pulling her hand away and gazing back up at the reddish-brown structure above her.

Adrien glanced back at her and smiled. "You really love this place, don't you?"

Marinette nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Let's sit down for a second," Adrien suggested, pointing to a bench a couple feet away.

Marinette nodded in agreement. "Okay." Adrien led her to the soft wooden bench, and they sat down, Marinette's dress spreading out across the wood.

"Adrien," Marinette turned toward him, her eyes thoughtful. "You realize what else?"

"What?"

"We stopped Poison Ivy without our powers. We didn't even really need them until the end."

Adrien laced his hands behind his head. "You're right. We're always so reliant on our powers, but we managed without them."

They were silent, pondering on that. Marinette wrapped her arms around her knees, leaning forward.

"I guess that anyone can be a superhero. You don't necessarily need powers to stop evil."

Adrien chuckled. "That sounds like a quote off a Pinterest board."

Marinette giggled. "You're right, it's cheesy." She glanced down at the ring on Adrien's hand.

"But it's true all the same," Adrien said quickly, not wanting to discredit Marinette. Marinette grinned, looking back up at her date. "It sure is. But having powers makes it easier."

Adrien snorted with laughter. "That it does, m'lady. That it does."

They sat in silence for a moment, and Marinette gazed back up at the Eiffel Tower, her mind falling back on the events of the day.

"You know," Adrien smiled wryly. "I was about ready to wring the guy's neck that took you to prom."

Marinette burst out laughing. "A little jealous, Cat?"

"Yeah, well, not anymore." Adrien grinned. "I had my ladybug all to myself today, and I didn't even know it."

Marinette blushed, smiling down at her hands.

"Adrien?"

"Yes?"

"You won't, like, tell anyone my identity, right?"

Adrien laughed softly, rising to his feet and holding a hand out to Marinette. "Nope. I promise."

Marinette smiled and took his hand.

Adrien lifted her to her feet. "But this is a special promise." He pulled her closer to him, and Marinette's heart skipped a beat. "I'm promising several other things too." He brushed her black bangs out of her face, his hand lingering on her cheek.

"W-what sort of things?"

Adrien smiled and didn't answer. He leaned forward and drew her face to his.

 _He's going to kiss me!_ Marinette thought blissfully, and her eyes fluttered closed.

Time seemed to stop as Adrien's lips met hers. They were soft and gentle, and Marinette found herself remembering her kiss with Cat Noir.

 _This is Cat Noir_ , she reminded herself. _That's why it feels so good._

They broke apart, and Adrien rested his forehead against Marinette's.

"You won't tell anyone either, right?"

Marinette didn't answer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. She felt his arms go around her in return, and she was suddenly encased in Adrien's warmth. Everything seemed perfect, and she didn't want it to end.

They broke apart again, slightly breathless. Adrien rested his head on her shoulder, hugging her tightly, and Marinette leaned up into his chest.

"Are all proms this great?" Adrien whispered in her ear.

Marinette sighed happily. "I doubt it."

The Eiffel Tower sparkled above them, its lights flashing gaily as the new day began. Tikki and Plagg hovered above the Seine, giving their miraculous holders some space.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Plagg said skeptically. "Having them know about each other?"

Tikki sighed. "No, I'm not." Her eyes softened. "But Adrien and Marinette and different. They really trust each other."

Plagg snorted. "That's just because they're in love! That's not real trust."

Tikki rolled her eyes. "Plagg, that's what love is. They trusted each other enough to give up their miraculous, believing that the other would take care of it." Tikki grinned. "That's real trust for you."

Plagg thought about that, his whiskers twitching.

"And they need each other," Tikki said softly, watching as Adrien started to lead Marinette in a waltz. "They'll be stronger together than they are apart."

"I hope you're right," Plagg grunted. "The whole world depends on that trust."

Tikki nodded. "Have I ever been wrong, Plagg?"

Plagg opened his mouth, then closed it again. "No."

"Trust me." Tikki winked, then glanced up at the sparkling lights on La Tour Eiffel. "Race you to the top!"

"Oh, I'm going to win!" Plagg and Tikki zoomed through the iron bars of the tower happily, trusting their miraculous holders down below to keep them safe.

The Eiffel Tower sparkled in the night, rising above the sleepy lights of Paris. All was well.

* * *

 _ **Yay! All was well! :) A little overused, but whatever. It fit. :)**_

 _ **Quick side note: Something I did on purpose was to blur the line between Ladybug and Marinette and Adrien and Cat Noir, especially as Adrien and Marinette grew to know each other better. I think that as superheroes-with a set identity and personality-start to spend more time around each other, without the masks, they**_ **should** _ **start to act more like their superhero selves, as shown in the sequences about them trying to figure out the Eiffel Tower, Adrien flirting with Marinette, and Marinette taking the lead. Leave a review if you agree and your thoughts about that shown in the story!**_

 _ **Stay tuned for a sequel! I'm already working on it! Leave a review if you have any ideas, I'll try to incorporate some in!**_

 _ **Thank you for reading! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. :) I welcome reviews with your thoughts and final impressions!**_

 ** _À bientôt,_**

 _ **-Maylyn**_


	18. Notice from the Author--

_**Hey all-**_

 _ **Maylyn here! I just wanted to alert you all to the sequel to this that has now begun! The title is Sunset on the Seine, and hopefully it'll come up fast.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_

 _ **-Maylyn**_


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